Pôle d'économie sociale Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine

What Pôle d'économie sociale Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine does

The Pôle d'économie sociale Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine (operating as Pôle GÎM) is a Quebec-registered non-profit organization (OBNL) that serves as the statutory regional coordinator and representative body for the social economy in the Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine territory. Founded in 2007 under the Chantier de l'économie sociale's initiative and incorporated as an autonomous entity on October 8, 2015, the Pole convenes, mobilizes, and equips approximately 350 collective enterprises—cooperatives, non-profits with commercial activity, and social-mission mutuals—that together account for nearly 3,700 jobs and C$347M in combined annual revenue. Its core service portfolio includes the administration of the Fonds régional en économie sociale (FRÉS, a non-reimbursable grant program offering up to C$7,500 per project across four streams), structured incubation pathways (Parcours SISMIC, Parcours d'idéation), legal and financial webinar series (Clins d'œil juridiques, Midis financiers), governance and leadership training, the annual Journées régionales de l'économie sociale (JRÉS), and the ANCRÉS magazine launched in 2025.

The Pole is financed primarily through Quebec's Entente sectorielle en économie sociale and delivers all services free of charge to eligible members across its tripartite membership model (collective enterprises, ecosystem partners, allied members). It operates from a single office co-located within SADC de Gaspé's premises at 19 rue Adams in Gaspé, supported by a small professional team of approximately six staff including a director (Noémie Bernier), deputy director (Marianne Munger), and accompaniment, development, and communication leads. Its underlying technology stack is conventional and limited—a WordPress website, Airtable application forms, Zeffy webinar registration, and standard social media—reflecting its function as a coordination and advocacy hub rather than a technology platform. Strategic positioning is anchored by regulatory designation under the Loi sur l'économie sociale (2013) and an expanding network of partnerships with financial institutions (Desjardins, RISQ, Investissement Québec, DEC), regional development actors (SADC, MRCs, Chambers of Commerce), and peer regional poles (Côte-Nord, Bas-Saint-Laurent), including co-organization of the L'Est en Mouvement inter-regional forum in May 2026.

Name

Pôle d'économie sociale Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine

Legal name

Pôle d'économie sociale Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine

Website

https://economiesocialegim.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Pôle GÎM is a Quebec non-profit regional hub that convenes, supports, and funds approximately 350 social economy enterprises (cooperatives, OBNLs, mutuals) across Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine, administering the FRÉS grant program, training, and advocacy services financed through the Entente sectorielle en économie sociale.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Economy Development Services

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Charities & Grantmaking Intermediaries (BPAGAKAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Microfinance, Financial Inclusion & Inclusive Markets (BPAGABAM), Infrastructure, Housing & Community Development (BPAGABAL)

Keywords

• Social economy services
• Cooperative development support
• Regional economic development
• Collective enterprise funding
• Nonprofit incubation programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Gaspé

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Entente sectorielle en économie sociale (regional economic agreement): The organization operates under a sectoral agreement framework funded by the Quebec government and regional partners, providing structural financial support for the Pole's coordination, representation, and development activities across Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine.
2. Fonds régional en économie sociale (FRÉS) — program administration: The Pole administers the regional social economy fund (FRÉS), a non-reimbursable financial assistance program supporting collective enterprises. The fund provides up to $7,500 (80% of eligible expenses) across four streams: governance, pre-startup/startup, business development, and special projects. While the fund itself is passed through to beneficiaries, the Pole's role in managing it represents a core operational activity.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Pôle d'économie sociale Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine is a regional coordination hub that supports collective enterprises (cooperatives, nonprofit organizations, and mutuals) in the Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine region of Quebec. It administers the FRÉS direct financial assistance fund, delivers training programs, webinars, and incubation pathways, and provides team-based accompaniment to strengthen the local social economy ecosystem.

Product overview

The organization functions as a regional social economy hub (pôle de concertation) rather than a software product company. Its offerings consist entirely of services to support collective enterprises (cooperatives, OBNLs, mutuals) in the Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine region. The core service portfolio includes the non-reimbursable financial support fund (FRÉS), educational programs (webinar series, training bootcamps, incubation pathways such as SISMIC and Parcours d'idéation), legal guidance (Clins d'œil juridiques series), mental health training (Naviguer les tempêtes), an annual regional conference (JRÉS), an annual magazine (ANCRÉS), and a directory of social economy enterprises. Services are delivered through a combination of in-person workshops, live webinars, online resources, and one-on-one accompaniment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fonds régional en économie sociale (FRÉS)

Quantifiable outcome

• ~350 social economy enterprises supported, ~3,700 jobs maintained, $347M in combined annual revenue across the region
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• Pôle d'économie sociale Côte-NordmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 May 2026Co-organizer of the L'Est en Mouvement inter-regional Forum (May 28, 2026, Matane) alongside the Bas-Saint-Laurent Pole and the First Nations Economic Development Commission. Represents a pan-eastern-Quebec coalition for social economy.
• Pôle d'économie sociale Bas-Saint-LaurentmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 May 2026Co-organizer of the L'Est en Mouvement inter-regional Forum alongside Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine and Côte-Nord poles and the First Nations Economic Development Commission.
• Commission de développement économique des Premières Nations du Québec et du LabradormajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 May 2026Indigenous economic development body co-organizing the L'Est en Mouvement Forum, ensuring First Nations participation in the inter-regional social economy movement.
• Chantier de l'économie socialecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Pole was founded in 2007 under the Chantier's initiative to create regional social economy poles across Quebec. The Chantier provides the Quebec-wide framework, logo certification (logo-es.quebec), and the Fiducie du Chantier de l'économie sociale which co-offers financing programs with RISQ.
• SADC de GaspécoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Pole's headquarters are located within SADC de Gaspé's offices. SADC is a key regional development partner supporting local collective enterprises and collaborating on joint programming.
• Centre de justice de proximité GÎM / Info justice GÎMcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint co-organizer of the 'Clin d'oeil juridiques' webinar series, providing legal education for OBNLs on topics including incorporation, governance, and annual obligations. Brings legal expertise that complements the Pole's enterprise support.
• PercolabminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerExternal facilitator for collaborative practices training and the Bootcamp en leadership partagé. Specializes in new ways of learning, working, and governing, bringing expertise in horizontal management to Pole member organizations.
• Horizon GaspésieminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMental health outdoors organization co-delivering the 'Naviguer les tempêtes' training program for managers and entrepreneurs in the social economy, combining outdoor experiential learning with psychological support.
• La Vague corporation d'innovation et de développement des ÎlesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInnovation and development corporation for the Îles-de-la-Madeleine, co-sponsoring Pole activities including the 'Naviguer les tempêtes' mental health training and collaborative practices workshops.
• EntremiseminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSocial economy enterprise specializing in urban planning, architecture, heritage, and communication. Led the church requalification webinar series and contributed to the 'Parcours Requalifier une église en collectif' training program.
• Groupe CollégiaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational institution supporting the ANCRÉS magazine project as part of the broader collective initiative involving the Fondation Lucie et André Chagnon, the Chantier, the Réseau des Pôles, and the Maison de l'économie sociale.
• Accès microcrédit Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-MadeleineminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMicrocredit organization and long-standing operational partner of the Pole in regional socio-economic development projects, with director Yan Tremblay providing testimonial of ongoing collaboration.
• SADC de la Haute-GaspésieminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal development corporation collaborating with the Pole on joint activities and regional development; represented by Valentine Palma of the Chamber of Commerce and Richard of SADC.
• Chambre de commerce et d'industrie Baie-des-ChaleursminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChamber of commerce led by Valentine Palma, collaborating with the Pole on regional economic development and social economy promotion, with testimonial of ongoing partnership.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Pôle d'économie sociale de Montréal: Montreal regional social economy pole in the Chantier network. Comparable mandate and operating model (convener, accompaniment, training, regional fund administration), but operates in a far larger urban ecosystem with different scale dynamics.
• Pôle d'économie sociale Côte-Nord: Quebec regional social economy pole for the Côte-Nord region. Directly comparable as a peer Pôle under the Chantier de l'économie sociale network with the same mandate (convener, accompaniment, FRÉS-style fund administration) and co-organizes the L'Est en Mouvement inter-regional forum with Pôle GÎM.
• Pôle d'économie sociale Bas-Saint-Laurent: Quebec regional social economy pole for Bas-Saint-Laurent. Operates the same pole model (Chantier-affiliated, government-funded, enterprise accompaniment, regional fund administration) and is a co-organizer of the L'Est en Mouvement forum alongside Pôle GÎM.
• Pôle d'économie sociale de l'Estrie: Another regional social economy pole in the Chantier network, serving the Estrie region. Highly comparable as a peer Pôle with the same mandate structure, funding model (Entente sectorielle), and FRÉS-style regional fund administration.

Broad incumbents

• Chantier de l'économie sociale: Quebec-wide umbrella organization that founded and certifies the regional Pôles network. Comparable as the parent convener and policy advocate for the social economy movement; operates at provincial scale rather than regional, providing the framework under which Pôle GÎM operates.
• Caisse d'économie solidaire Desjardins: Cooperative financial institution wholly dedicated to social economy financing in Quebec. Operates at provincial scale with overlapping social economy mandate; major financial partner of Pôle GÎM through the ANCRÉS magazine project and L'Est en Mouvement.
• Réseau d'investissement social du Québec (RISQ): Quebec social investment network providing patient capital and technical assistance to collective enterprises. Operates at provincial scale with comparable social economy mandate; financial partner of Pôle GÎM that presents financing programs to its members via the Midi financier series.
• Réseau québécois des Pôles d'économie sociale: Provincial network that brings together all 22 regional social economy poles in Quebec, including Pôle GÎM. Comparable as the coordinating body that connects Pôle GÎM with peer poles and represents collective interests at the provincial level.

Others

• SADC de Gaspé: Local development corporation hosting Pôle GÎM's headquarters and providing complementary support to local enterprises in Gaspé. Comparable as a regional economic development partner rather than a direct social economy pole, with overlapping enterprise support functions in the same territory.

Emerging players

• TIESS (Territoires d'innovation en économie sociale et solidaire): Quebec-based organization connecting social economy with research and innovation ecosystems. Comparable thematic mandate around social economy development, with a province-wide rather than regional operating model; relevant as a knowledge and innovation counterpart to Pôle GÎM's regional coordination role.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/polegim
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@PoleESGIM
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/p%C3%B4le-d-%C3%A9conomie-sociale-gasp%C3%A9sie-%C3%AEles-de-la-madeleine

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Pôle d'économie sociale Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine