PRESS RELEASE | FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
GROWING OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY
A strategic partnership rooted in the belief that communications are a direct, measurable—and too often underused—driver of growth for businesses across the territory.
Saint-Laurent-Mont-Royal, June 22, 2026 – The Saint-Laurent-Mont-Royal Chamber of Commerce and Industry (“CCiSLMR”) is pleased to announce a strategic partnership with CANO Intelligence Collective (“CANO INC”), a strategic communications and organizational mobilization agency based in Saint-Laurent since its founding in 2021 by renowned communicator Marie-Noëlle Cano. Since March 2026, CANO INC has served as an expert in residence for the Chamber, supporting its positioning and the visibility of its members.
A major economic territory that deserves to be better heard
The CCiSLMR represents one of the densest and most diversified business communities on the Island of Montreal. The borough of Saint-Laurent alone is home to more than 4,500 businesses and 110,000 jobs, across a territory where over 70% of the land area is dedicated to industrial and commercial activity. It is one of Quebec’s most important technology and industrial hubs, with leading-edge sectors in aerospace, life sciences and information technology.
In a context of intensifying competition between businesses and rapidly shifting markets, the ability to be heard, to build a strong reputation and to maintain a credible presence has become a condition of survival as much as of growth.
What the data says in 2025–2026
44% of a company’s market value is directly attributed to the reputation and personal brand of its leader.
88% of SMEs that increased their communications and marketing investments in 2025 reported stable or higher revenue growth.
99% of buyers say thought leadership directly influences their purchasing decisions, and 73% trust it more than any other form of marketing.
73% of SMEs are not confident that their communications strategy is working — and that should not be tolerated a minute longer.
Why CANO Intelligence Collective
Founded in 2021 by Marie-Noëlle Cano, CANO Intelligence Collective has established itself in less than five years as a reference in integrated (360°) communications, public relations, employer branding and crisis management. The agency also leads transition communications mandates during mergers and acquisitions. Its client base ranges from SMEs to large corporations across the territory’s diverse sectors.
What sets CANO INC apart is an approach grounded in data, analysis and field experience. No generic formulas—rather, a precise reading of each organization’s context, its challenges and its position in the market. At CANO INC, the team has walked in our members’ shoes, having sat at the decision-making tables of major players here at home, across Canada and around the world.
“Our members deserve to be seen, heard and recognized in proportion to what they achieve. By choosing CANO Intelligence Collective as our strategic communications partner, we are offering our business community something concrete: access to expertise that turns communications into a real competitive advantage. Saint-Laurent and Ville Mont-Royal are territories of excellence; it is time that was known and felt. With CANO INC, we are in good hands—Marie-Noëlle, its president, values lasting relationships and fruitful collaborations, and she knows our territory as a resident and entrepreneur based at the crossroads of Saint-Laurent and Ville Mont-Royal. We can already feel the wave of energy from this collaboration, to the benefit of our business community.”
Caroline Casabon, Executive Director, Saint-Laurent–Ville Mont-Royal Chamber of Commerce and Industry
“In 2026, markets are fierce. Competition is direct, indirect, and it never sleeps. A company that does not invest in best-in-class communications will never differentiate itself in a lasting way. Worse: it leaves a void that its competitors will fill in its place. At CANO Intelligence Collective inc., entering into this powerful partnership is fully aligned with our vision and our aspiration to support entrepreneurs and the business community—a community represented by a united and influential Chamber of Commerce that showcases its members and their achievements, to the greatest benefit of their business development and, in turn, the development of the territory. Our job is to get our clients talked about at the right time, in the right way, to protect and grow their reputation. Because today, more than ever, your face and that of your leaders have become the single most decisive factor in the credibility, positioning and perceived value of your brand and your company.”
Marie-Noëlle Cano, President and Chief Communications Officer, CANO Intelligence Collective
What this partnership means for members
Through this partnership, CANO INC brings its strategic perspective to the Chamber: hands-on support, stronger positioning, and shared insight at our events and on our projects. The goal is to give members a genuine sense of privilege, early access and recognition in every communication they take part in or that speaks on their behalf.
A strong business community is not built on numbers and networks alone. It is built on a shared reputation, on well-told stories and on a presence that inspires confidence.
About the CCi Saint-Laurent / Ville Mont-Royal
The Saint-Laurent / Ville Mont-Royal Chamber of Commerce and Industry brings together the entrepreneurs and businesspeople of a territory comprising more than 4,500 businesses and 110,000 jobs. It acts as a driver of local economic development, networking and representation of its members’ interests. Founded in 1981, the Chamber is coming off a highly promising year amid shifting market dynamics and an unstable socio-political and geopolitical landscape. Our role is to showcase the resilience, achievements and contribution of the businesses in our territory to the economy of Montreal and Quebec.
About CANO Intelligence Collective
Founded in 2021, CANO Intelligence Collective is a strategic communications and organizational mobilization agency. It offers services in integrated (360°) communications, public relations, employer branding, crisis management and transition communications (mergers and acquisitions). CANO works with SMEs and large corporations in the agri-food, retail and customer experience sectors, across Quebec and Canada-wide.
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