Strategic Mapping of the Éminence Grise Ecosystem in Laval

Launched in 2023, the Éminence Grise ecosystem, led by Laval Économique in collaboration with Mosaic HEC Montréal, addresses the accelerated demographic aging in Laval by orchestrating an intersectoral innovation ecosystem aimed at transforming the living conditions of seniors aged 65 and over. In the face of challenges such as aging in place and preserving autonomy amid decreasing disability-free life expectancy and mounting pressure on healthcare systems, this ecosystem brings together stakeholders from eight sectoral categories: the City of Laval’s municipal services, the CISSS de Laval and the Commissariat à la santé et au bien-être (CSBE) of Quebec, community organizations such as Fondation ÂGES, SCAMA, and L’Appui, and social innovation enterprises like LuciLab and the Home Support COOP.

Within this framework, Mosaic researchers play a crucial role as “local orchestrators” and neutral facilitators. Their expertise builds trust among stakeholders and facilitates the flow of knowledge between those with different interests. Through over 70 strategic meetings, the researchers conducted a territorial diagnosis, created communities of interest around aging in place and health, and established sustainable bridges between sectors.

Within the Éminence Grise ecosystem, TEMMRA acts as an agile “catalyst” for testing innovative solutions to population aging. The first major success is the LuciLab partnership, which was launched in February 2024 with a municipal grant of $100,000 and a total investment of $3 million over three years. This initiative fosters collaboration among startups, community organizations, CISSS Laval, and the City of Laval to implement a scientifically validated dementia prevention program based on lifestyle changes. Within a few months, the program attracted over 103,000 visitors to the platform and supported 10,000 participants. This generated a potential economic impact of $90 million over three years, while enabling seniors to maintain their autonomy for a longer period. These results align individual organizational objectives with the collective mission of making Laval an age-friendly city.

Find out more

  • lavaleconomique.com/temmra