The first positions herself as a strategic ally to the neighbourhood’s entrepreneurs, giving voice to their realities and working in the interest of the collective good. The second, drawing on her experience as a restaurateur, was already well aware of the day-to-day challenges facing business owners before becoming mayor of the Ahuntsic-Cartierville borough. Together, Hélène Veilleux, Executive Director of the SDC District Central, and Maude Théroux-Séguin are working to reinvent the relationship between municipal elected officials and District Central businesses through La Grande Fabrique de résilience territoriale.

Economic upheaval, logistics crises, and changes across the territory: life as an entrepreneur is rarely smooth sailing. As rapid transformations can affect employment, mobility, neighbourhood life, and access to services, the SDC has decided to prepare District Central to anticipate and withstand shocks, bounce back, and ultimately make resilience a strategy for innovation and attractiveness.

To achieve this goal, Hélène Veilleux is convinced that building relationships of trust is essential. “In a neighbourhood as productive as this one, we need to understand the concrete impacts of various interventions on business operations, employment, and mobility before moving forward, so that every action supports entrepreneurs without ever undermining them,” she explains.

She did not have to convince Mayor Maude Théroux-Séguin. In her view, the city must be a partner to the businesses operating within its territory and avoid putting obstacles in their way. “When it’s a priority, dialogue comes more easily,” she says. “I’m fully on board with the SDC’s La Grande Fabrique de résilience territoriale initiative. When District Central is doing well, employment grows, more people visit local businesses, and more people want to live in the neighbourhood. All of this drives economic development and gives us the resources to bring the territory to life.”

A Collective Effort
The initiative is led by the SDC’s board of directors, made up of entrepreneurs and workers from the neighbourhood who are mobilizing their networks to ensure broad participation from organizations. It begins in March and April with individual interviews conducted at businesses to assess the situation and gather insights into logistical, economic, social, climate-related, and organizational challenges. The SDC will also hold workshops with businesses, property owners, organizations, and socioeconomic partners, followed by an online survey to help identify potential projects.

The findings will be presented at the Assises de La Grande Fabrique on June 9, after which the Manifesto will be published to set out the values that will guide decision-making and formalize commitments.

The 2027–2030 Territorial Resilience Plan will then be developed to establish priorities and define roles and responsibilities.

“This shared framework will provide lasting guidance for public and private investment decisions,” says Hélène Veilleux, “giving entrepreneurs greater operational stability, better predictability when it comes to risks, and a more attractive working environment.”

Article published in Premières en affaires magazine
Written by Martine Letarte

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