Development Policy for the Northern Quebec Region

The Northern Quebec Region covers approximately 60% of the whole Quebec territory. The area is made of 2 great sectors. To the North of the 55th parallel, the Nunavik sector, accessible only by airplane or boat, is knowned for cariboo hunting, fishing and boreal dawn observation. Between the 49th and the 55th parallel, the Baie-James sector allows for several activities, like snowmobiling, dogsledding and ice fishing during winter and golfing, mountain biking, horseback riding and nautical sports during summer, but this sector is especially known for its hydro-electric installations tour.

The Development Policy for the Nord-du-Québec Region is in line with the Policy supporting Local and Regional Development , calling for Québec's regions to have the necessary tools to assume responsibility for their own development. The Policy is the cornerstone of government action involving the region’s three communities, Cree, Inuit, and Jamésien.

To support economic and regional development, as well as research, particularly by encouraging coordinated and concerted action among the various players in the economic, scientific, social and cultural areas in order to promote job creation, economic prosperity, scientific development and sustainable development, and enable local and regional communities to take responsibility for their own economic and regional development in partnership with the State in order to assure a sustainable development context, the economic development of the territory for the benefit of the various populations living there. To do so, it has funds and infrastructures that it manages with a customer-based approach.

Here are some of the participants:

Desjardins Venture Capital: All the funds have as their first mission to provide high potential businesses and cooperatives with venture capital and personalized support services at all stages of their development, in order to increase their value. As a fund manager, Desjardins Venture Capital’s mission is also to provide stakeholders with their expected return and the attainment of their specific goals.

Investissement Québec: Investissement Québec is the gateway for international and national investors who want to develop and prosper un the province. When it was established, Investissement Québec made a commitment to stimulate Québec’s economy by encouraging private investment and job creation.

Épargne Placements Québec: Épargne Placements Québec is working to improve the financial security of Québecers by offering them a range of advantageous savings and retirement products. Épargne Placements Québec enables them to contribute, through their savings, to the development of Québec society.

Commission on Fiscal Imbalance: The mandate of the Commission on Fiscal Imbalance is to identify and analyze the basic causes of the fiscal imbalance between the federal government and Québec and to invite and collect opinions and suggestions from experts and stakeholders, in Québec and elsewhere, about the consequences of the imbalance and solutions to correct it.

A Guide for entrepreneurs, published by Services Québec, outline the steps to take in starting a business.