BECANCOUR. The end of Publisac's activities has consequences, particularly with regard to the distribution methods of the newspaper Le Courrier Sud, or even the future of the distributors, who are currently working hard to reinvent themselves. This is the case of Alain Vallée, who has been selling flyers for more than 40 years and will soon lose his livelihood and that of his thirty employees.
“I still have a few weeks left to change direction,” says Alain Vallée. Taking action doesn't take a month, but months. I've been working on this project for 8 months now. »
This project is about finding a new company that can use the workforce and facilities that Mr. Vallée already has in Bécancour. He is looking for a company in the assembly and warehousing sector, a similar field to which he has been active for several decades. When Mr. Vallée wrote these lines, he had his sights set on a scaffolding erection company. Only a few changes to the safety devices would be required.
In addition to seeking income to cover the costs of his building, Mr. Vallée is also interested in finding immediate work and a source of income for his employees. “I'm working hard to retain a lot of my workforce and create work for them because there are a lot of these people who will struggle to find new jobs even though all the companies are looking. These are not people with a lot of education, it is not easy for them, says Mr. Vallée. I am a kind-hearted person, that touches me very much,” he adds.
“I'm working 18 hours a day, 7 days a week, so that I can start something again on April 1st. The activities have to go, I don’t have a deadline,” he emphasizes.
Alain Vallée had also considered selling his building, but the situation was complicated by the agricultural zoning of his property, a zoning that he believed had already changed. “I made a request in 2019. I thought everything was correct, but the request required more information and I did not receive it,” mentions Mr. Vallée. When Publisac's activities ceased, the dealer tried to sell its building, which had been used commercially since 1979, but this was not possible due to the unresolved agricultural land issue. Mr. Vallée believes he missed two such sales opportunities. “At one point I was in panic mode! “, traitor.
“I have invested a lot. I worked in the field. “The building has value,” he concludes.