Gouvernement du Québec
Menu
Back to homeHong Kong

To do business, work, study or immigrate to Québec

partage
Previous page
Menu

An Unparalleled Business Environment

Investing in Québec means companies benefit from a competitive fiscal environment and low start-up and operation costs.

Strategically positioned between Europe and America

Québec has an unrivalled foothold in European and North American markets thanks to the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) and Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA).

A dynamic economic environment

Learn more about Québec’s economic initiatives by visiting:

A specialized and highly skilled workforce

Québec offers a highly educated, skilled and experienced workforce:

  • 86% of Quebecers hold a secondary or post-secondary degree;
  • 29% of Quebecers hold a certificate, diploma, bachelor’s degree or graduate degree.

A multilingual population

Quebecers are fluent in more than one language:

  • 43% of Quebecers (3.5 million people) speak French and English;
  • Montréal, one of the largest French-speaking cities in the world, is home to an ethnically diverse population.

A candidate-rich market

Québec offers a high concentration of skilled workers thanks to the province’s extensive network of colleges, universities and research centres, specialized in key sectors.

Find out more about the advantages of investing in Québec.

Aerospace

Québec: a visionary, innovative aerospace industry leader

We are very proud of the accomplishments of the province’s world-class aerospace industry. Our industry know-how consolidated our role as a major player in the global high-tech sector.

Profile

Our aerospace industry is ranked sixth in the world from an employment standpoint and represents a major cornerstone of our economy. Here are some key facts:

  • There are approximately 240 companies, including more than twenty contractors and front-line suppliers, and 219 SMEs (sub-contractors and product manufacturers) working in the province’s aerospace industry;
  • The sector reported 43,400 employees and sales of $17.8B in 2019. It also reported an average annual sales growth of 5.6% since 1994;
  • The province’s aerospace industry sales represent approximately 57% of Canada’s total aerospace industry sales;
  • Over 70% of Canada’s aerospace R&D is located in Greater Montréal;
  • Over 80% of Québec’s production is exported.

Strengths

Our aerospace industry’s strength lies in the sheer number of world-class contractors and equipment manufacturers established in the province.

Many are global leaders, including:

  • Airbus: commercial aircrafts;
  • Bell Texton Canada: civil helicopters;
  • Bombardier: business and commercial aircrafts;
  • CAE: flight simulators and training;
  • Pratt & Whitney Canada: engines for regional and business jets, and helicopters;
  • Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation: regional jets.

No other place in the world offers such a high concentration of first-rate contractors and equipment manufacturers who work in such a wide range of fields, from avionics to landing gear, systems integration, space-based systems, and many others.

This is why Montréal is ranked among the top global aerospace hubs in the world, alongside Seattle and Toulouse.

A highly skilled workforce

Québec’s aerospace industry boasts a highly qualified and diverse workforce. Québec is also home to schools and colleges offering specialized training, as well as six universities with aerospace programs.

A top-tier network of SMEs

Small- and medium-sized subcontractors and suppliers offer a wide variety of specialty products and services, ranging from parts machining, surface treatments, composite materials and shot peening to rapid prototyping, hydraulics, avionics, and electro-optics.

Some examples of innovative products

  • The A220 jet, formerly known as the Bombardier CSeries, is designed and assembled right here in Québec by Bombardier. It features some of the most cutting-edge technological breakthroughs. In fact, it is the most environmentally friendly aircraft in its category thanks its fuel efficiency of 2L/100km per passenger.
  • Pilots employed by the main commercial airlines train in CAE flight simulators, while air traffic controllers train in Adacel control tower simulators.
  • The air data computers manufactured by the Montréal-based company Air Data are the component of choice for a number of American and European unmanned systems manufacturers.

International aviation organizations

Montréal is home to several major international aviation organizations:

  • the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO);
  • the International Air Transport Association (IATA);
  • the Société internationale de télécommunications aéronautiques (SITA);
  • the International Business Aviation Council (IBAC);
  • the Airports Council International (ACI).

Contact us

To find out more about Québec’s aerospace industry, contact the Government of Québec Office covering your region.

Agri-foods

Discover Québec’s exceptional selection of locally sourced foods

With its fertile soil, vast forests, remarkable marine environment, abundant natural resources, and temperate climate, Québec is the perfect setting for a flourishing and modern food industry. The Agri-food sector employs approximately 532,500 workers, 121,000 of which work in the agriculture, fishing, aquaculture, and food processing industries. That means that 1 in 8 of Quebecers work in this industry. We are recognized as a world-class supplier of healthy, high-quality products infused with a mix of European and North American influences. Our distinctive and diverse product offerings range from specialty foods prepared by family-run businesses to products made by industry giants.

Here is a list of some Québec products enjoyed all over the world:

  • pork;
  • cocoa-based candies;
  • fruits and vegetables, and fruit- and vegetable-based products;
  • prepared foods;
  • soy and other cereals;
  • maple products;
  • fish and seafood.

Always on the lookout for new market trends, our food industry offers consumers an ever-growing range of foods that are certified organic, fair trade, halal and kosher.

A modern and safe food industry

We have stringent traceability, quality control, and monitoring measures. Food businesses work in concert with the government to integrate state-of-the-art production and processing technologies and abide by strict sanitary and environmental standards.

Strategically located

Many Québec-based food companies are located close to the Canada–U.S. border and are an integral player in the North American market. Products can be delivered by truck and serve over 130M consumers within a 620-mile (1,000-kilometre) radius.

A global industry

We have long been a key freight transportation hub and link in international supply chains. Products can be quickly distributed and delivered at competitive rates by sea, land, rail and air, regardless of weather conditions.

In fact, export markets represent an important source of growth for Québec’s agri-food businesses. In 2019, 57% of final sales from agricultural production and bio-food processing were made outside of the province, resulting in $8.8B in international sales.

Québec foods are thus enjoyed in more than 160 countries, including the United States, Japan, China, Russia and EU member states.

This achievement reflects the speed and flexibility that businesses have shown in their efforts to satisfy consumers worldwide.

Contact us

To learn more about Québec’s agri-food industry, contact the Government of Québec Office covering your region.

Aluminium

The expertise of Québec’s world-class aluminium industry permeates at every value chain stakeholder, including:

  • aluminium processors;
  • equipment manufacturers and specialized suppliers;
  • primary aluminium producers;
  • innovators;
  • industry organizations.

An industry leader

Some key facts about the Québec aluminium industry:

  • It is the 4th primary aluminium producer in the world;
  • It produces 2.8M tonnes per year, which accounts for more than 65% of North American production;
  • Exports totalled $7.1B in 2020;
  • It generates 30,000 quality jobs in about 1,500 firms.

A forward-thinking strategy

Québec is the first jurisdiction to implement a comprehensive strategy aimed at growing aluminium’s value chain and raising its profile. The Québec Aluminium Development Strategy pursues ambitious goals, including doubling processing output by 2025.

The greenest aluminium in the world

Thanks to hydropower generation, Québec-based companies have access to a local aluminium supply with the lowest carbon footprint in the world.

Click here for more information.

Contact us

To learn more about Québec’s aluminium industry, contact the Government of Québec Office covering your region.

Artificial intelligence

Québec is a centre of excellence in AI research, in particular in operational research and data valuation.

Supported by a robust and diversified ecosystem, Québec-based companies that invest in artificial intelligence and integrate artificial intelligence into their processes, benefit from enhanced performance and a greater competitive edge.

Québec is a global leader in the field of artificial intelligence. When the gouvernement du Québec tabled the 2019-2020 budget, it announced $329M in funding over the next five years in order to foster the acquisition of world-class equipment and the democratization of AI.

The creation of the International Centre of Expertise in Montréal for the Advancement of Artificial intelligence (ICEMAI)

Confirming Québec’s—and particularly Montréal’s—strength in innovation, the Governments of Québec and Canada announced the creation of an international centre of expertise for the advancement of artificial intelligence in Montréal as part of the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence.

In concert with the industry, the scientific community and the general public, the ICEMAI will contribute to the responsible development of artificial intelligence that respects the principles of ethics, human rights, inclusion and diversity. It will be a strategic tool for innovation and economic growth.

The ICEMAI works on two themes: the responsible use of AI and data governance. A similar centre of expertise based in Paris will address two other themes: the future of work, and innovation and commercialization of AI.

To learn more about Québec’s role in the field of artificial intelligence, visit the following websites:

Clean technologies

In terms of clean technologies, Québec seeks to:

  • reduce its greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs);
  • reach sales of $3B by clean tech companies and environmental service and good providers;
  • increase its capacity to adapt to the potential impacts of climate change.

Québec is among the world’s economies with the strictest environmental protection standards which fosters the development innovative clean technologies.

A responsible environment

Thanks to its clean and renewable hydropower, Québec is one of the rare places in the world where a low-carbon economy is possible.

Since 2008, Québec is a member of the Western Climate Initiative (WCI), the largest common carbon market in North America.

Contact us

To learn more about Québec’s environment industry, contact the Government of Québec Office covering your territory.

Construction

Québec’s harsh climate helped shape the sector’s unique expertise in the design of more efficient and cutting-edge products and materials.

A creative environment

  • A multitude of world-class consulting engineering companies, major architectural firms, construction companies and building materials manufacturers that export their know-how and products throughout the world.
  • Home to a plethora of university researchers, research centres and industry experts.

Result-generating creativity

The “green building” concept has prompted the construction industry to perfect new materials and products that are more environmentally friendly and energy efficient.

Insulating materials, exterior siding, high energy efficient windows, membranes, heat recovery fans and geothermal heating systems are among the products that have earned Québec its reputation for excellence.

Québec-based prefabrication building manufacturers have also developed quality construction systems available in export markets.

Québec wood

Québec wood is a wise environmental choice as a building material since it is renewable, recyclable and has a low environmental footprint.

The Québec Export Wood Bureau (QWEB) develops markets in the Americas and abroad for Québec’s wood products, including prefabricated building systems.

Contact us

To learn more about Québec’s construction industry, contact the Government of Québec Office covering your territory.

Energy

The Québec energy sector is recognized for its robust renewable energy development and generation potential.

Hydropower

Québec has vast hydraulic resources with more than 500,000 lakes and 4,500 rivers. This wealth offers enormous hydroelectric potential: a collective asset we have been able to harness over time. The Québec hydropower park has more than 41,000 MW of installed capacity. In fact, Canada is ranked fourth in the world in hydroelectric generation thanks largely to Québec’s contribution. Hydropower is a quintessential solution to the major challenges North America faces in terms of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and ensuring a secure electricity supply.

Wind energy

Québec has significant wind energy potential thanks to the province’s extensive territory. Québec currently has an installed capacity of 4,000 MW. There are more than 150 Québec companies operating in Québec’s wind energy sector, representing a unique, integrated green energy supply chain in the province. This sector generates more than 5,000 direct and indirect jobs in Québec, 1,200 of which are in the Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine Region and the La Matanie Region. Wind energy is a form of a renewable energy with reduced GHG emissions and constitutes a natural complement to hydroelectricity.

Bioenergy

Québec has several biomass cogeneration (electricity and steam) power plants, fuelled by forest and urban biomass, as well as several biomass power plants fueled by residues recovered from the industry, institutions and households. There are several financial assistance programs in place which have helped support the development of this sector in the last decade.

Solid biofuels

Quebec currently produces approximately 1 million tonnes of wood pellets and energy logs per year.

Biochar production technologies showcases are currently up and running and aim to reduce the amount of carbon extracted from conventional carbon mines.

Liquid biofuels and biofuels

Québec is a global leader in lignocellulosic fuels because it supports companies developing next-gen technologies by leveraging non-recyclable urban and wood waste.

Québec’s 2030 Plan for a Green Economy sets out specific actions to bolster the use of renewable fuels in transportation. It specifically seeks to achieve 15% in gasoline and 10% in diesel by 2030.

There are currently several projects underway studying how renewable jet fuel can be produced from CO2 captured from industrial smokestacks and waste biomass.

Québec has a pyrolytic oil production plant that utilizes forest biomass waste and more plants may be built in the near future.

Gas biofuels

Biogas is produced after organic materials decompose. Biogas consists of 45 to 70% bioethanol whether it is extracted from landfills or by way of biomethanization. Natural gas is made up of approximately 95% methane. Several municipalities and private companies produce biogas in Québec.

Biogas may be used to produce heat and electricity. It can also be cleaned to produce renewable natural gas (RNG) and subsequently injected into the natural gas distribution network.

Québec supports the development of the RNG production and distribution in the province through financial assistance programs and the enactment in 2019 of the Regulation respecting the quantity of renewable natural gas to be delivered by a distributor (Act respecting the Régie de l’énergie Chapter R-6.01, r. 43) which is capped at 1% as of 2020, and progressively increases to 5% for 2025. The 2030 Plan for a Green Economy seeks to increase that threshold to 10% by 2030.

There are currently several RNG production and distribution projects under development or in operation.

Green hydrogen

Hydrogen is a clean energy vector since it is produced from renewable energy resources. Green hydrogen is produced by electrolysis of water from renewable electricity rather than by methane reforming. Québec has several advantages that lend themselves to green hydrogen production. In fact, the gouvernement du Québec is set to unveil the province’s first green hydrogen and bioenergy strategy by fall 2021.

Research and innovation

Québec is home to several research centres that support innovation and the growth of companies in the energy sector, including:

  • the Hydrogen Research Institute (HRI), specializing in research on hydrogen production and storage;
  • the Réseau québécois sur l’énergie intelligente (RQEI) which brings together Québec experts in energy transition and innovation from both the research and business communities;
  • Synchronex’s energy group, which catalyzes the centre’s multidisciplinary resources and expertise to offer integrated and innovative solutions to businesses so they may improve their energy balance.

There are groups such as Écotech whose mission is to accelerate the development, marketing and use of innovative, clean technologies by mobilizing key players of the green economy. There are also university technology transfer centres that support the development of technologies through applied research.

Contact us

To learn more about Québec’s energy industry, contact the Government of Québec Office covering your territory.

Fashion

Montréal is one of the most important fashion hubs in North America, along with Los Angeles and New York. The Montréal fashion industry stands out on the international scene for its innovation, design and marketing.

Québec boasts a large and diverse pool of successful companies involved in the manufacture, design, marketing and distribution of apparel and clothing.

Québec-based businesses specialized in fashion design can benefit from tax credits (Fashion Design Tax Credit).

A creative environment

  • Québec fashion businesses can use the clout of the Metropolitan Fashion Cluster (Mmode) whose mission is to improve the competitiveness and growth of the province’s fashion industry. Mmode acts as the industry’s main platform of exchange and collaboration to showcase the industry’s know-how.
    • Mmode promotes the hashtag #mtlstyle.
  • Extensive R&D capabilities thanks to the two technology transfer centres (CTT and Vestechpro).
  • The Montréal Collections brand connects Québec clothing manufacturers with American retail buyers and representatives.

Contact us

To learn more about Québec’s fashion and apparel industry, contact the Government of Québec Office covering your territory.

Forest products

There are nearly 300 primary wood-processing plants in Québec, including sawmills, pulp and paper mills, waferboard plants and cogeneration plants.

In terms of secondary and tertiary wood-processing plants, there are close to 1,500 plants that primarily manufacture siding, flooring, floor beams, roof joists, laminated timber, cross-laminated timber, modular homes, paper and paperboard packaging, but also less traditional products such as forest bio-products.

An industry in transformation

The transformation of the Québec forest industry is already well under way. Whether it is researching new products, developing cutting-edge technologies or modernizing equipment, transformation plays a major role in the revitalization of the forest industry.

For some years now, innovation has helped transform and diversify the Québec forest-product industry. Innovation is key in ensuring the growth of Québec-based, forest-product companies that are sensitive to the fluctuating demand of North American and global markets.

The gouvernement du Québec places a strong emphasis on innovation in order to spur the forest-product industry’s contribution to the economic growth of the province and its regions, in particular with the Québec Forest-Product Industry Development Strategy (in French only). Several programs were also established to help companies remain competitive.

In fact, Québec offers a competitive environment that is favorable to businesses seeking to invest in the development of innovative forest products and in the advancement of the forest industry as a whole.

A key role in the fight against climate change

Forests and forest products play a strategic role in the fight against climate change. On average, each cubic metre of wood absorbs one ton of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air. The forest industry is one of the few industries that has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by way of the following methods:

  • carbon sink activation through reforestation and forest development;
  • carbon sequestration, in particular by using wood products in construction. Carbon is stored in wood products for the entire duration of use, and recycling extends the storage period;
  • substitution, whereby wood is used to replace materials with high carbon footprints or fossil fuels are replaced by biofuels.

Ground Transportation

Québec stands out for the high concentration of major international companies, important technical centres and equipment manufacturers, including Alstom, BRP, Paccar, Prévost and Nova Bus.

Click here for more information.

One of the best-structured industries in Québec’s economy

  • Over 620 companies, including leading contractors, world-class outfitters and a network of specialty product suppliers and subcontractors.
  • With a turnover of $10.2B.
  • An industry known for its innovative ecosystem that brings together about thirty universities, R&D centres and a testing and accreditation centre.
  • The ground transport industry is rapidly changing and is facing several challenges as a result of the development of intelligent transport systems and electric vehicles. The industry is well positioned to take on these challenges because it is actively involved in the electrification of transports and has all the attributes to develop the battery industry. It can also draw on the research being pursued by Québec’s AI hub to develop the intelligent vehicles of tomorrow.

In addition, Québec has adopted a number of economic strategies to help give Québec businesses a leg up on the global competition:

Contact us

To learn more about Québec’s ground transportation industry, contact the Government of Québec Office covering your territory.

Information and Communication Technologies

The Québec information and communication technologies (ICT) industry employs more than 150,000 workers and generates more than $39B in revenues. Furthermore, more than $1.7B is invested in R&D every year. The Québec ICT sector experienced exceptional growth in 2019 with venture capital investments amounting to $1.2B.

Click here for more information.

A knowledge-rich environment

  • The Québec ICT industry accounts for 3% of its workforce and 5% of its GDP. In fact, the industry’s annual growth in GDP has outstripped overall economic growth by a factor of 2.2 in the last 15 years.
  • The ICT industry is a cornerstone of the Québec economy and firmly positioned Québec as a global leader in the fields of video games, special effects, artificial intelligence, among others.

Research and innovation

Québec is home to several centres and groups dedicated to industrial research, including:

  • the National Optics Institute (INO);
  • the Québec Centre for Industrial Research (CRIQ);
  • the Computer Research Institute of Montréal (CRIM);
  • the Partnerships for Research on Microelectronics, Photonics and Telecommunications (PROMPT);
  • the Society for Arts and Technology (SAT);
  • and numerous College Centres for the Transfer of Technologies (CCTT).

Click here for more information.

Contact us

To learn more about Québec’s information and communication technology industry, contact the Government of Québec Office covering your territory.

Life Sciences

Québec:

  • is a unique hub which brings together cutting-edge fields of expertise, such as biopharmaceuticals, medical technologies, and digital health;
  • is a world leader in AI and Deep Learning;
  • offers a lucrative funding environment with $1.68B raised in VC by Québec firms in 2019;
  • is home to the Coolest Life Sciences and Health Tech Hub which employs over 56,000 employees.

To learn more about Québec’s life sciences ecosystem, visit The Coolest Hotspot.

2017-2027 Québec Life Sciences Strategy

  • With the Québec Life Science Strategy, the government seeks to build a sound, sustainable business environment adapted to the specific needs of this sector so it may thrive;
  • Québec wants to accelerate growth by supporting research, providing financial assistance to companies and fostering quality job creation throughout the innovation chain.

Contact us

To learn more about the life sciences industry in Québec, contact the Government of Québec Office covering your territory.

Mining

Québec has developed expertise in mining extraction and operations as well as in the development of innovative products and services for the industry.

Québec is a world leader in the acquisition of geoscience data. This key advantage is leading to the development of numerous innovations that help Québec’s mining industry remain competitive in the global market.

Essential minerals

Several mining companies are implementing major investment projects to expand their active mines or develop new ones. Projects focus on substances that Québec already produces, such as iron ore, gold and nickel, in addition to new substances that are not currently mined in Québec, such as critical and strategic minerals (CSMs).

A dynamic and sustainable environment

Québec’s mineral strategy builds on mining exploration and development know-how acquired over generations and is moving Québec into the future by ensuring sustainable mining and social acceptability of projects. The mineral strategy is based on three strategic targets:

  • creating wealth and preparing the future of Québec’s mining sector;
  • ensuring environmentally and population friendly mineral development;
  • fostering mineral development that is community-related and integrated into the environment.

In addition, Québec unveiled the 2020-2025 Québec Plan for the Development of Critical and Strategic Minerals in the fall of 2020. The plan sets out specific actions to position Québec has a leader in the production, transformation and recycling of critical and strategic minerals in partnership with local and indigenous communities.

Contact us

To learn more about Québec’s mining industry, contact the Government of Québec Office covering your territory.

Research and innovation

Québec is a remarkable research and innovation powerhouse.

According to the most recent statistics, Québec devoted 2.32% of its GDP to R&D in 2017, the highest rate of any Canadian province. Québec is booming and is well positioned in the global scientific community. Indeed, the Québec population accounts for 0.1% of the world’s population, but Québec researchers participate in 1.0% of scientific publications at the international level.

A unique environment

  • The highest number of industrial R&D researchers per thousand people employed in Canada: 9.9 per 1,000 (2018 data).
  • A leader in numerous fields and in tune with global trends, Québec possesses a rich pool of talent and natural resources.
  • With 18 universities, some of which rank among the best in the world, Québec has a highly skilled workforce.
  • Québec offers one of the most generous tax credit programs in the world.

A dynamic and sustainable environment

  • A number of policies have been put in place to support the development of growth sectors and the emergence of new leading-edge sectors. The gouvernement du Québec is proactive to ensure that it remains a frontrunner among knowledge economies.
  • The cutting-edge research infrastructure that exists throughout Québec benefits from massive investments.
  • The excellence of public research, including that of educational institutions, and its interaction with the vitality of Québec’s business community create a synergy that fosters and promotes a strong culture of innovation and a highly competitive business environment.
  • Collaborative endeavours are the centrepiece of Québec’s vision of development. It should be added that Québec boasts various sectoral industrial research groups and pre-competitive research consortiums. It is also integrated into the main international research networks, and its researchers benefit from bilateral agreements with partners in various countries.

Contact us

For more information on research and innovation in Québec, contact the Government of Québec Office covering your region.

Haut de page