Aylmer's business association reflects on 2025 achievements and future goals

Sophie Demers 

Aylmer’s business association, APICA, worked on the ground throughout the year to connect with local professionals, businesses, and entrepreneurs. APICA’s mission is to support and promote Aylmer’s business community to encourage socioeconomic development. To achieve this mission they organize events, projects, training opportunities, and more for their members. 

In 2025, to get a detailed picture of the realities of local business owners, APICA partnered with the firm Posture Inc. to conduct consultations with all their members as well as non-member businesses in the area. 

“We did online surveys as well as meetings with about 20 entrepreneurs from all over Aylmer both at the commercial and industrial level, as well as the service sector, to find out what was expected of the organization,” said Louise Rousseau, APICA General Director. “We are reorienting our service offering based on what we’ve learned.”

This consultation process allowed the organization to take a step back, reflect, and refocus APICA on the current realities of the business community. The results of the consultations will guide their work in the coming years. The official report from this work will be presented during APICAs general annual meeting early next year. 

Over the next three years APICAs goals are to position Aylmer as a dynamic commercial destination by increasing business visibility and strengthening the area's brand image. They also aim to have a clear, accessible, and scalable service offering from members. Finally, APICA will represent and mobilize Aylmer businesses and professionals by increasing participation and ensuring media presence. 

APICAs work did not stop there. They realized many events and projects throughout the year such as their flagship event “La Principale se sucre le Bec” which brought residents, visitors, and local business together on rue Principale to celebrate the maple syrup season. Their annual golf tournament raised over $30,000 to support their mission and activities. 

To support entrepreneurs, APICA offered members free training on how to take advantage of a captive clientele during events. Another training session on storefront displays is organized for the new year. APICA negotiated an agreement with  Détail Formation, an organization specializing in training for retail businesses. The agreement gives members a reduced rate, $55 instead of $85, to access their training. 

They organized several networking events in collaboration with the Bulletin, Le Droit Affaires, the Quebec Cancer Foundation, Regroupement des gens d'affaires, Jimmie’s Pizza, and Inteloom. During the municipal election campaign period, APICA organized an event with the candidates from all five Aylmer electoral districts.   

Throughout the year APICA sat on several board of directors including Corporation du Défilé du Père Noël as well as an upcoming project Mozaïka-Lab. They also co-organized the Marché Enchanté. 

In addition to events and projects, APICA was active politically especially with Gatineau’s new commercial development policy. They participated in many meetings with the city and the mayor to make sure concerns were addressed. 

“I want to emphasize the importance for businesspeople to become members of APICA, because their $175 membership fee, compared to what we inject as a sum on the main street, makes a big difference. It can make a difference on an additional event that we could bring, or an additional training session that we would bring to our members. APICA has been there since 1980, and we intend to continue,” said Rousseau.