Amid ongoing trade tensions with the United States, the City of Montreal is stepping up its efforts to protect its economic fabric. The Montreal metropolitan area, which accounts for more than 50% of Quebec's GDP, jobs, and exports, is particularly vulnerable in this uncertain economic climate, as 75% of its exports are destined for the United States.
Faced with this situation, which is putting pressure on key sectors of its economy, the City refuses to sit idly by and is taking action today by supporting new initiatives aimed at strengthening the resilience of Montreal businesses in the face of these major economic challenges.
The City will invest $1.35 million to support seven concrete projects that will help Montreal businesses become more resilient. Part of this investment ($1 million) will be used to prepare businesses to conquer new markets in key sectors of the economy, while the remainder ($350,000) will encourage local purchasing and help businesses diversify their customer base. These projects will begin on September 1, 2025. Details of each initiative can be found in the appendix to this press release.
"The City of Montreal is taking proactive steps to help Montreal SMEs cope with US tariff threats and make our economy less dependent on a single market. Since April, we have been supporting businesses so that they can access financial relief and begin the shift toward new markets. Today, we are going even further in the support we offer businesses so that they can diversify their markets. We have called on strategic economic partners who will put their expertise and business networks at the service of Montreal SMEs," said Luc Rabouin, member of the City of Montreal's executive committee responsible for economic development and higher education.
New projects supported by the City
Mr. Rabouin also announced the second edition of ÉCO-RDV MTL, an initiative organized by the City of Montreal. The event, which aims to promote exchanges between businesses on local and responsible sourcing, will bring together between 400 and 600 participants on November 25, 2025, at the Marché Bonsecours. A budget of $225,000 has been set aside by the City to support this event, as well as the tools and support required upstream and downstream.
"We have a responsibility to defend our economy, our jobs, and our prosperity against all threats. On the ground, the City is active and determined to maintain strong leadership to strengthen our economic and trade relations. In particular, we have consolidated our ties with other cities in Quebec, Canada, and even the United States. We remain in constant contact with all players in Montreal's economic ecosystem. We are working more and more closely with other levels of government, the private sector, and city associations, such as the Alliance of Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities. Whether at political meetings, economic events, or specialized forums, we seize every opportunity to defend Montreal's economic interests," said Alia Hassan-Cournol, Associate Councillor for Economic Development, Trade, and Design, and Delegate for Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples.
"Given the current economic climate, and in order to help Montreal SMEs navigate the uncertainty, we had to take action and propose concrete solutions to support them. We are proud to launch the MTL Exporters Club, a tripartite project led by the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal, the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Montreal, and Excellence industrielle Saint-Laurent. Through a customized support program, the MTL Exporters Club aims to create a true community of committed entrepreneurs who will help and support each other in their export endeavors. We would like to thank the City of Montreal for its financial support, which has made it possible to launch this new initiative. Through this initiative, we will directly support 75 SMEs with a clear and ambitious goal: to help them begin or strengthen their exports to new markets. This is a powerful lever for our economy, and we look forward to seeing the positive and lasting impact this project will have on the growth of our businesses and the vitality of our city," said Isabelle Dessureault, President and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal.
“In a changing international context, equipping businesses to diversify and grow is no longer a luxury, it is a necessity. This contribution from the City of Montreal will enable us to strengthen our support for startups by opening new doors for them in strategic markets,” added Richard Chénier, Executive Director of Quebec Tech.
This project is being carried out as part of the joint economic planning of the Quebec government and the City of Montreal.
APPENDIX - LIST OF SUPPORTED PROJECTS
Measure 2 - supported projects:
World Trade Center Montreal - “Club Exportateurs MTL” project - City contribution: $550,000.
Offer a structured support program for businesses to assist Montreal SMEs with their export strategy. The businesses (75) are grouped into circles of exporters of 15 SMEs, organized by five target markets outside the United States, in order to stimulate collective intelligence.
Montréal Inc. de demain Foundation (Québec Tech) - Project: “Support for the diversification of exporting SME markets” - City contribution: $175,000.
Help 18 high-potential emerging technology companies in Montreal, in particular by increasing sales through the definition of internationalization strategies and by supporting these companies in preparing for and participating in trade missions.
Mmode- Project: “En Mode Croissance - Development of New Markets” - City contribution: $75,000.
Mmode is the hub for collaboration within the fashion industry in Montreal. Equip and support a group of 10 companies in the Montreal fashion and clothing sector, whose main market is currently the United States, in order to identify, evaluate, and develop new markets elsewhere.
PME MTL Centre-Ouest - Project: “Commercial Innovation Accelerator” - City contribution: $200,000
PME MTL Centre-Ouest aims to strengthen the commercial resilience of 100 local SMEs in the face of tariff shocks and digital competition. It offers a structured 12-month support program, mobilizing PME MTL's internal resources in innovation and consultants specializing in customs, logistics, and e-commerce to provide support tailored to current market realities.
Measure 4 - Supported projects:
Conseil d'économie sociale de Montréal (CESIM) - Project: “L'économie sociale, j'achète! (ESJA)” - City contribution: $50,000
The ESJA initiative aims to strengthen the resilience of social economy enterprises by facilitating their access to public and private markets. It supports institutions in local procurement and organizes networking, training, and coaching activities.
Saint-Laurent Industrial Excellence (EISL) - “Sourcing and Selling in Quebec” Project - City contribution: $200,000
The project aims to strengthen the resilience of manufacturing SMEs in the face of global supply chain disruptions. In particular, it aims to increase local sourcing by identifying and connecting businesses with Quebec suppliers.
Espace de concertation sur les pratiques d'approvisionnement responsable (ECPAR) - Project: “Structuring project to promote local and responsible sourcing in Quebec” - City contribution: $100,000
The project's objective is to strengthen the local and responsible anchoring of Quebec supply chains by identifying concrete ways to replace foreign suppliers with local businesses. The project also aims to maximize local procurement opportunities for the City of Montreal with a view to replacing American suppliers.
SOURCE City of Montreal - Office of the Mayor and Executive Committee
