Quebec shells out $25 million for business digital transformation

The Quebec government is shelling out almost $25 million for businesses looking to enter the future.
Economy and Innovation Minister Pierre Fitzgibbon announced that the CAQ government will release $24.6 million to support eight projects under the Digital Transformation Offensive (OTN).
The money is meant to help 2,000 businesses in the province make a digital shift, and raise awareness of going digital for around 6,000 others.
"Today, we are continuing the implementation of this initiative by collaborating with new associations that master the issues and challenges of their sector, which will allow us to properly meet the needs of SMEs (small and medium-sized businesses). In a context of labour scarcity, the digital shift is essential to the success of Quebec businesses," said Fitzgibbon.
The CAQ government has already invested $56.8 million in the OTN, which was launched in March to help businesses accelerate their digital shift.
The OTN's total budget is $130 million with an announcement coming in March on further projects.
The funding announced Monday will go towards funding the RCEI (Réseau des centres d’expertise industrielle) ($6.48 million), the Institute for Digital Governance ($3 million), and Sensation Mode of Quebec's fashion and design industry ($2.8 million).
"Although our SMEs are aware of the importance of initiating or continuing their digital transformation, they must be brought to action, in the right way, and, above all, more quickly," said Julie Ethier of the RCEI. "By exploring, comparing, experimenting or implementing new technologies, Quebec companies will improve their competitiveness and be in an excellent position to stand out on the world stage."
The five other projects funded are:
- The Regroupement des cabinets de courtage d'assurance du Québec ($3.76 million)
- The Conseil de la transformation alimentaire du Québec ($2.64 million)
- The Mouvement québécois de la qualité ($2.37 million)
- The Institut des manufacturiers du vêtement du Québec ($2 million)
- Événements Attractions Québec ($1.5 million), in partnership with the Ministère du Tourisme
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
U.S. Capitol riot: More people turn up with evidence against Donald Trump
More witnesses are coming forward with new details on the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riot following former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson's devastating testimony last week against former U.S. President Donald Trump, says a member of a U.S. House committee investigating the insurrection.

'He was a hero': Family says Ottawa man killed in fatal collision sacrificed himself
The family of an Ottawa man killed in a Canada Day crash in the west end says Tom Bergeron died exactly as he lived: selflessly thinking of others before himself.
Dog left with lost baggage at Toronto Pearson Airport for about 21 hours
A Toronto woman says a dog she rescued from the Dominican Republic has been traumatized after being left in a corner of Toronto Pearson International Airport with baggage for about 21 hours.
Chinese-Canadian tycoon due to stand trial in China, embassy says
Chinese-Canadian billionaire Xiao Jianhua, who went missing in Hong Kong five years ago, was due to go on trial in China on Monday, the Canadian embassy in Beijing said.
'Hell on earth': Ukrainian soldiers describe life on eastern front
Torched forests and cities burned to the ground. Colleagues with severed limbs. Bombardments so relentless the only option is to lie in a trench, wait and pray. Ukrainian soldiers returning from the front lines in eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region, where Russia is waging a fierce offensive, describe life during what has turned into a gruelling war of attrition as apocalyptic.
Video shows police in Ohio kill Black man in hail of gunfire
A Black man was unarmed when Akron police chased him on foot and killed him in a hail of gunfire, but officers believed he had shot at them earlier from a vehicle and feared he was preparing to fire again, authorities said Sunday at a news conference.
N.S. woman calls for private fireworks regulation after her dog dies 'scared and alone'
Canada Day weekend fireworks have sparked more calls to either regulate or ban backyard fireworks displays in Nova Scotia.
Poorest Canadians nearly 4 times more likely to die from opioids than richest: study
A new study looking at opioid deaths across Canada over 17 years has found that low-income Canadians are almost four times more likely to die from opioids than high-income Canadians.
Shooting at Williams Lake, B.C. stampede injures 2, forces evacuation
Two people are injured and a third is in custody after what RCMP describe as a 'public shooting' at a rodeo in B.C. Sunday.