Small Business Week* 2010 - Finance your business success

MONTREAL, Oct. 18 /CNW Telbec/ - The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal and its team of experts in entrepreneurship - Info entrepreneurs - today announced the programming for Small Business Week 2010 in Montréal. The program will feature a series of activities that will bring together hundreds of entrepreneurs from the Montréal area. "This prestigious event is a special one for Montréal small businesses," said Michel Leblanc, President and CEO of the Board of Trade. "It combines helpful training, presentations by experts and the perfect opportunity to establish or develop a professional network."

The week offers a variety of activities that meet the needs and reflect the interests of all small businesses. On October 19, participants will have a chance to explore the different avenues available to them for financing their business projects. This day devoted to the search for financing will offer invaluable advice on developing business plans and using management tools. The day of October 20 will be devoted to expanding and growing companies, dealing in particular with export and innovation. The day will end with an exclusive evening to celebrate the top performing companies of the year. The week will close on October 22 with a major seminar on entrepreneurship. Panels throughout the day will feature renowned conference speakers who will share their experience and best advice. For details on the program, please visit the www.infoentrepreneurs.org.

At the same time the Board of Trade also unveiled the confidence index for its members for the third quarter of 2010, which has dropped slightly, moving from 5.95 during the second quarter to 5.93 during the third. "Entrepreneurs remain fairly confident about the growth of their businesses, but their confidence in the Montréal economy has flagged somewhat," said Michel Leblanc. "The results show that Montréal businesses are resilient, in spite of the deteriorating global economic outlook."

The Business Development Bank of Canada, the presenter for Small Business Week, also presented the conclusions of a survey conducted as part of the Angus Reid Forum. "This survey presents an enlightening picture of the outlook for small business," said Mr. Leblanc. "It shows us that small businesses have understood the importance of innovation, that they remain prudent in their intentions to invest, but that they are optimistic about their growth objectives."

^* Small Business Week is a registered trademark of the Business Development Bank of Canada.

About the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal
The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal is made up of some 7,000 members. Its mission is to represent the interests of the business community of Greater Montréal and to provide individuals, merchants, and local businesses of all sizes with a variety of specialized services to help them achieve their full potential in terms of innovation, productivity, and competitiveness. The Board of Trade is Quebec's leading private economic development organization.

About Info entrepreneurs
Info entrepreneurs is the leader in the delivery of quality strategic information on government programs and services for the business community. It is a privileged source of commercial information, contributing to the economic growth of small business. Info entrepreneurs is a service of the Government of Canada delivered by the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal. Info entrepreneurs is part of the Canada Business Network, which has 13 major centres across Canada.

For further information:

Sylvie Paquette
Coordinator, Media Relations
Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal
Phone: [phone], extension 4015
[email protected]