Every year since 1948, the Quebec Council of Cooperation and Mutualism presents several Quebecois individuals with the Cooperative and Mutualist Merit Award. This year, Mr. Éric Simard is among the laureates.
The Order of Merit is the recognition of the significant contribution of the 16 laureates. These are divided into four levels – the fourth being the highest – and Mr. Simard stands out in this category.
Involved for several years with the Regional Development Cooperative of Quebec (CDRQ) as a board member and chairman of the board, Mr. Simard has numerous achievements worth highlighting.
From local to international involvement
Firstly, let’s mention his involvement with SOCODEVI in South and Central America, where he participated in three missions supporting local cooperatives.
At the provincial level, Mr. Simard served as a board member and officer, particularly in a health and safety prevention mutual and at CDRQ. In Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, he was a board member in a group of regional forest cooperatives, part of a northern agriculture excellence cluster, a Community Development Assistance Service (SADC), and prior to 2016, in the regional CDR.
In his local area, specifically in the municipality of Ferland-Boileau, Mr. Simard was involved with a cooperative blueberry farm, the municipal council, and a tourist resort.
Finally, Mr. Simard served as the administrative/general director for 25 years at the local forest cooperative.
Remarkable Achievements
Throughout his career, Mr. Simard has accomplished a great deal and remains actively involved in the Quebec cooperative movement to this day.
IN THE AMERICAS
On the international stage, he participated in three missions in South and Central America (two in Honduras and one in Peru) during his tenure with SOCODEVI. During these missions, he collaborated with local collective managers in implementing financial management tools. This assistance enabled them, among other things, to preserve their capital in the long term, strategically plan their development, and adequately manage dividends to members without jeopardizing their finances.
The financial management and governance advice provided to cooperatives in South and Central America significantly improved their long-term performance. In fact, during a mission in Peru, his swift action to restore the finances of a coffee/cocoa producer cooperative saved them from technical bankruptcy, ultimately safeguarding the work and incomes of the 400 member producer families.
In the Forestry Industry
At a time when the Quebec Federation of Forestry Cooperatives had fewer employees, he supported the human resources dedicated resource within the organization in some of its mandates with other cooperatives. This collaboration enabled them to find solutions to their human resource or governance issues.
Moreover, his interest in the individuals comprising his industry led him to serve on the Sectoral Committee of Labor in Forestry Management to support skill development in this sector, benefiting the entire Quebec forestry ecosystem.
His involvement of over 25 years in the Ferland-Boilleau Forest Cooperative undoubtedly had numerous impacts on the local population, considering that the cooperative is the main employer in the municipality. Additionally, his work on wood diversification and valourization with Groupe Boréaressources led him to collaborate, among others, with academic researchers from the La Sève laboratory at the University of Quebec in Chicoutimi. This resulted in the creation of numerous products based on essential oils used in cosmetics, as well as the valourization of certain by-products of the forestry industry, notably bark.
At CDR…Q
As the Chairman of the Board of the CDR Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, he, along with some of his colleagues from other CDRs, initiated the discussions leading to the creation of CDRQ in 2016. Several years later, still as the chairman, but now of the CDRQ board, he actively supported the management when implementing significant internal changes to more actively meet the expectations of the Governmental Action Plan in social economy and the new realities of user members emerging from the pandemic. These changes are now fully integrated at all levels of the cooperative.
Dans le domaine agricole
Over the past two years, he has developed the workforce aspect at Coop de solidarité Le Relait by actively recruiting substitutes to support agricultural producers benefiting from the cooperative’s services. It was a challenge that many stakeholders thought was nearly impossible to overcome when the cooperative was created.
His management work with Coop le Relait generates impacts far beyond the cooperative itself. Indeed, studies and numerous articles highlight significant psychological distress among farmers. However, by accelerating the recruitment of new substitutes and producers likely to use the cooperative’s services, he gives farmers a unique chance to take time for themselves and their families. Some have even been able to take long vacations, a first for many of them.
A Select Group
Mr. Simard’s involvement stands out, but it is not unique. Indeed, the Order recognizes the work of several individuals that CDRQ also wishes to acknowledge and congratulate. Without them, collective values and cooperation would not be as vibrant and dynamic. Congratulations to all the laureates!
