Last Thursday evening, the winners of the 5th edition of the Bourses d'initiative en entrepreneuriat collectif (BIEC) de la Montérégie were announced. A total of 42 social economy entrepreneurs were honored, including three from the Vaudreuil-Soulanges region.

For the second year in a row, La Grande Tablée de Terrasse-Vaudreuil received a $12,500 grant to upgrade its facilities to better serve customers, and to develop the promotional aspect to reach a wider audience.

L'Atelier Paysan received a $1,500 grant to improve its reception facilities on the market garden site, making them more inclusive.

Finally, $6,000 was awarded to Ferme Coopérative Tourne-Sol in Les Cèdres. The funds will enable the social economy enterprise to implement a marketing plan that will enable it to return to the level of sales experienced during the pandemic.

Andrée Bouchard, vice-president of the Table de concertation régionale de la Montérégie, prefect of the Haut-Richelieu RCM and mayor of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, said: 

"More than 1,370 social economy enterprises operate in the Montérégie region, generating solutions and answers to our needs. At the time of the last portrait of the social economy, the combined economic activity of these enterprises amounted to more than $9 (nine) billion, generating more than 220,000 jobs in the Montérégie. [...] We, the elected representatives of the villages, towns and municipalities of the Montérégie region, are proud to support and recognize the structuring and innovative initiatives undertaken by the region's social economy enterprises, by once again contributing to the 5th edition of BIEC Montérégie. "