We are truly the gateway to helping entrepreneurs or people who want to start a business develop a marketing plan, ultimately start a business. This mandate has lasted 25 years
explains Etienne Alary.
French as a bond of trust
When it was born in 1997, the CDEA was called the Alberta Economic Chamber. The organization is the offspring of a committee of the Association canadienne-française de l’Alberta (ACFA).
The objective was to be able to network between Francophones in the business world, a raison d’être that is still relevant according to the general manager.
“I am convinced that entrepreneurs will look for something that the English-speaking environment does not allow them to accomplish and it is this ability to communicate in one’s first language. […] We see a lot of this Francophone entrepreneurial connection and interconnection,” he observes.
This is felt, for example, in the field of construction. “Am I going to get someone who does roofs in French, someone who does floors or a francophone who does [de l’encadrement]? We see these exchanges a lot”.
” We tend to trust each other more among francophones because it’s our mother tongue. »
To promote these exchanges, the Economic Chamber very quickly created a forum in 2001 and prizes to reward entrepreneurs, celebrations that still exist under other names.
Tourism, an economic engine
The economic development part comes later, but for Étienne Alary, it remains the greatest success of the CDEAespecially with regard to tourism.
We won’t hide, Alberta is a favorite destination for all foreign tourists who want to visit Canada
he points out.
The Alberta Travel Guide was launched in the early 2000s.
Photo: Radio-Canada / Francois Joly
The challenge that the CDEA has set out is to attract these tourists off the beaten path of the Rockies. The concept of economuseums has been imported into the province and bilingual tours have developed, especially in northern Alberta.
However, the organization has diversified by developing agricultural projects around hemp, for example, in sustainable development and in early childhood.
Obstacles still present
However, the 25 years have not been a long calm river. The most obvious failure: the Francopreneurs business incubator project, funded from 2015 to 2018 and not renewed. Shared workspaces in Western Canada have never managed to find their cruising speed to the point of worrying the funder.
After the failure of the FrancoPreneurs project, the CDEA is studying the Ontario business incubator experience.
Photo: Radio-Canada
During the same period, the organization faced many departures and an identity crisis.
Retaining entrepreneurs remains a difficult mission, recognizes Étienne Alary, who attributes the fault in part to the lack of funds. Once entrepreneurs need financing, there is no support fund for Francophone entrepreneurs managed by the CDEA
he explains.
” We support them up to a certain level, but when the time comes for financing, we tell them: go see the Business Development Bank of Canada, go see ATB… Often that is detrimental to loyalty. »
the CDEA discusses with the federal government the possibilities of creating a fund for the West.
Among the issues to come, Étienne Alary identifies the labor shortage as a central issue for Francophone entrepreneurs. The Government of Quebec wants its share of the French-speaking immigrant pie. Are we going to end up being poor parents again? There’s a lot of issues coming up
he says.
This theme will also be addressed during the Rendez-vous d’affaires, the economic forum of the CDEAMay 6 and 7 in Calgary.
Reference-ici.radio-canada.ca