Local development and the social economy in urban Quebec – Community Development Economic Corporations (CDECs)

Since the early 1980s, the community development economic corporations (CDECs) created by community groups involved in health, housing, welfare and other issues – have become major non-profit associations. CDECs offer support for local entrepreneurship by providing technical assistance, training, advisory services and networking. They support business development in collaboration with specialized services at a regional level. They also have been important agents of social cohesion through their involvement in development processes to reconcile diverse concerns and interests and improve the quality of life in their communities. They are involved in issues of urban planning, cultural vitality, etc. An important aspect of their work involves labour force development and integration of target populations. This work is carried out in collaboration with decentralized public employment services.

There are currently 13 CDECs in Quebec’s cities, covering territories which regroup a total population of 1.6 million.

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