Trade and service

Given the merchants’ proximity with their customers, the trade approach is often more personal in our territory. Furthermore, local outreach services and retention are a top priority for the RCM des Sources.

Like everywhere else in Canada, the trade and service sector in itself represents the segment with the greatest number of jobs as well as the highest concentration of working population. The RCM des Sources regroups the majority of trade and service companies that are normally found in other territories. Thus, grocery stores, hardware stores, clothing shops, department stores, notaries, lawyers, accountants, restaurants, and hairdressing salons coexist.

The trade and service sector includes nearly 350 companies located on the territory, from which 25% are in retail trade and the remainder are service companies. Furthermore, most companies in this sector are located in the urban areas of Asbestos and Danville. In the five other municipalities, we will specifically find retail stores as well as what we can call ‘‘local service companies’’.

 

Trade and Service Job Breakdown Chart (per municipality)

	TOTAL jobs	Asbestos	Danville	Ham-Sud	Saint-Adrien	Saint-Camille	Saint-Georges-de-Windsor	Wotton
Retail Trade	486	351	88	0	6	3	11	27
Finance and Insurance	106	82	14	0	0	4	0	6
Professional and Technical Services	66	54	7	2	3	0	0	0
Administrative and Support Services	36	29	4	0	2	1	0	0
Health Care and Social Assistance	211	142	40	0	3	0	8	18
Accomodation and Food Services	177	95	56	5	4	2	4	11
Other services	138	75	38	0	1	1	10	13
Total number of jobs	1 220	828	247	7	19	11	33	75

Source: Portrait of the RCM des Sources Trade and Service Industry, November 2011

One of our territory’s mandatory features is the co-operative movement. From the financial institution to the grocery store, funeral service and accomodations, customer service is definitely our top priority. Such consumer trend is now somewhat changing the purchasing behaviours by generating customer retention.

Over the years, numerous companies have emerged and extended their product offers. For 2013 only, the trade and service sector generated investments of over $2.7 in the territory.

The RCM des Sources economic development service supports organizations and merchant associations, offers supplementary training, and contributes to the global trade development. For example, in 2006, the RCM des Sources elaborated ‘‘lunch-and-learn’’ sessions, like the one called: ‘‘Welcoming clients’’ in order to improve companies’ knowledge and skills. Many other supplementary training sessions contributed to better train companies in terms of sustainable development, financial statements, marketing, eligible expenditure for the federal government/GST/QST, etc. In 2014, the RCM des Sources worked in collaboration with the Therrien Couture law firm S.E.N.C.R.L. to offer a training session called: ‘‘Acquisition of municipal contracts: opportunities to seize and rules to know’’. Training session elaboration is performed on a timely basis, when needed. In most cases, we collaborate with local organizations, such as the Chambers of Commerce, as they are enthusiastic and willing to promote our sector.