Jacques Bertrand, the Executive Director and founder of La Relance, launched his business in 1982 after getting laid off following extensive cut-backs by the provincial government. A psychologist by training, at the time, he had been working in youth protection. Earlier in his career, he had been a teacher in a youth services centre.
Finding himself jobless, Jacques Bertrand set about creating an organization that would link the economy and social development. “I wanted to have some control over the methods used with youth struggling with particular problems or behaviours. I felt it was important to integrate them into an actual work environment, and I never again wanted to have to deal with the government machinery to implement my ideas,” he explained. “My other goal was to improve the work internships offered to students.”
At the time, the idea of integrating youth with intellectual disabilities and former youth offenders into the workplace was certainly not common. He had to show a lot of tenacity in rallying partners to this innovative project. Despite the roadblocks, in 1983 La Relance Outaouais became the first integration business in Quebec. It is astounding to see how much it has accomplished in almost 30 years of operation.
The economy at the service of social development
La Relance Outaouais is an employment integration agency that offers a range of services not only for the general public but also for people who have difficulty getting into the labour market. This can include recent graduates, people living with a disability and individuals with behavioural and learning difficulties. Each of them is given specific assistance through the ten or so different programs run by the agency.
In addition, La Relance Outaouais runs seven SMEs in the region, which makes it easier to integrate clients. Every year, hundreds of people gain tangible work experience that makes it easier for them to integrate into the labour force.
These days, La Relance has approximately 160 employees and sales of over $10 million annually. In 2010, 787 people benefited from employment integration programs.
Seven integration businesses in the Outaouais
In 1983, Jacques Bertrand set up the agency’s first business. This was a Gulf service station in the Hull sector. This business eventually closed and was replaced by an Ultramar station at the corner of boulevard Saint-Raymond and boulevard St-Joseph, as well as the Autopro spare parts and services shop attached to it. Over the years, several young people did a paid internship there in the field of mechanics upon completing their studies.
Jacques Bertrand eventually created a series of businesses whose mission was both business development and employment integration:
- Lave-auto F1 on rue Lois in Hull (1984).
- The Hebdo ménage commercial cleaning business (1986).
- The Service technologique La Relance, which refurbishes old computers that are then distributed to schools across Canada (2001).
- Transport La Relance, which collects and then deliver computers equipements to our processes centers (2005).
- Valoritec, which recovers the non-functional parts of refurbished computers and disposes of them in an ecological manner (2007).
Souvenir unique is the latest of the La Relance businesses. Acquired in the spring of 2010, it makes souvenir trinkets out of copper recovered when the roof of Ottawa’s Parliament building is being replaced. A second component has also been added: wood funeral urns for both humans and animals. This business employs people with intellectual disabilities.
“Make no mistake. Even though these are integration businesses, the standards are very high,” insists Mr. Bertrand.
After the economy and social development, Jacques Bertrand is now looking to effectively integrate the environment and sustainable development into his businesses. This is certainly one more of the challenges that La Relance will be taking on over the next few years.
Pratical information
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What made you decide to start up this business?
When I was an educator in a youth services centre, I often locked horns with the administrators when I tried getting my clients involved in concrete activities. I firmly believed in my methods and wanted to apply them without constraints. This was also a way for me to ally the economy and social development.
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Why Gatineau?
I come from Mont Saint-Grégoire in Montérégie, but since I studied at the University of Ottawa, I was already well established in the region. The reason I chose to start my business on the Quebec side was simply so that I could work in French.
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What are the advantages of working for yourself?
In my case, it gave me the opportunity to maintain full control over my approach, without having to butt heads with the unwieldy government machinery. Most of all, it left me free to innovate.
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What surprised you the most about the business world?
Some people will do anything for money. But on the flip side, it is amazing how far business people will go to help each other out. Many local entrepreneurs were extremely generous in helping me when I found myself in unfamiliar territory.
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To what do you attribute your business success?
I have been able to develop a global vision of how a business operates, no matter what kind. In 1988, I developed the Humaprise management system, which helps entrepreneurs play their roles better and to increase their profitability. Many managers use it today.
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What were your toughest challenges, and how did you overcome them?
D From 1998 to 2000, we hired a Deputy Executive Director so we could delegate the operational management of our activities. However, his methods did not fit with our business model. As a result, after a year and a half, we were operating in the red. We managed to get the operation back on track, and today our net assets are $2.8 million. La Relance will eventually face a serious challenge in terms of its management succession. The person who will take over will require a solid understanding of different sectors of activity because he or she will have to be able to negotiate with everything from recyclers to cabinetmakers! That person will have to enforce the standards set by the different businesses. Needless to say, this will be a rare gem indeed!
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What does it take to succeed in business today?
You have to be tenacious. In 1982, while I was ironing out my business plan, employment integration centres did not exist. I had to be creative and patient before any financial partner would give me a green light. Today, there is a government program based on the La Relance Outaouais model.
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What advice would you give someone who is thinking of starting up a business?
If you have enough confidence in your project, dare to follow your instincts. And never put off until tomorrow what you can do today!
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How did Développement économique – CLD Gatineau contribute?
DE – CLDG believed in our projects. The stakeholders provided critical support for Valoritec and Souvenir unique when we set them up in the last few years. The commissioner of business development were always looking for solutions to the difficulties we encountered. I also have to mention the support provided by Canada Economic Development, Emploi Québec and Human Resources and Skills Development Canada with all of our projects.
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