Groupe_Energie

A new company has just come into existence in the Mauricie. Its purpose is no less than to propel the energy technologies in the Mauricie.

The Ministry of State for Regions and the Minister iof Industry and Commerce, Giles Baril, has just personally announced the good news of the creation of this new organism, which will receive $4 million from this minister over three years, to help finance its operation. This financial aid is anticipated in the Mauricie Industrial Diversification plan, announced last May 30.

In fact, over the next three $28 million should be injected. $4.7 million is anticipated for consolidating industrial bases. $1.9 million will be used to dynamise entrepreneurship. $1.6 million will go towards the promotion outside Quebec for products and expertise. Finally $19.8 million will be used to accelerate the diversification of the economy in high value-added subsidiaries.

Yves Duhaime, will act as the government representrative and will set up the new company.   Known as the father of the Laboratoire des technologies �lectrochimiques et des �lectrotechnologies (the LTEE ) and former minister of natural resources will be supported by two personalities recognized in the business world.

Yvan Lafontaine, president of the board of M�gatech �lectro, and Stephen Harirson, vice-president of deveopment and production at Limtech. Both will sit on the administration board of Groupe �nergie inc. To ensure the solid support of Hydro-Quebec, the government has also designated the principal director of the Institute de Recherche (IREQ), Jacques G. Martel, to represent the crown corporation.

In underlining that the Mauricie possesses a world calibre expertise in technologies and in energy, Minister Baril notes that 'a major and concertedaction,   such as what we have set up, will create 1200 jobs in the next 3 years'. This number could climb to 4000 jobs during the same period.

He also indicated that only one financial measurement will be usedin order to favour expansion of existing businesses of the subsidiary of energy technologies and the creation of new businesses. A 40 % tax credit of the gross salary of each new employee was announced.

He   also noted that the mobilisation and organisations of industry and research centres, the support and upgrading of technologies, the financing of pre-start-up activities, training during the incubation of new businsses and the participation in new research efforts in the US and elsewhere are only some of the actions considered by Group �nergie inc.