SOCIOECONOMIC
PROFILE OF THE
NORD-DU-QUÉBEC (10)
October 2010
LABOUR MARKET
•
In 2009, there were 47,400 people with jobs in the Nord-duQuébec and the Côte-Nord, a 2.3% decrease from 2008, and
the region accounted for 1.2% of people with jobs in Quebec
(3,844,200 jobs).
•
In 2009, the Nord-du-Québec and the Côte-Nord recorded an
unemployment rate that was 1.2 percentage points higher than
the Quebec average (9.7% vs. 8.5%).
•
The Nord-du-Quebec’s and the Côte-Nord’s employment and
labour participation rates in 2009, 53.5% and 59.2%
respectively, remained lower than Quebec rates (59.7% and
65.2%).
•
According to the ISQ, the Nord-du-Québec is one of the only
Quebec regions to maintain a positive labour replacement
index. It is expected to drop from 207% to 133% between 2006
and 2021 and then rise to 150% by 2031.
ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES
REGION AND POPULATION
•
In 2009, the Nord-du-Québec was divided into 3
equivalent territories and comprised 28 municipalities
and 22 other territories (2009).
•
The Nord-du-Québec covered 54.7% of the area of the
Province of Quebec in 2009 (718,228.6 km2).
•
With a population of 41,479 in 2009, the Nord-du-Québec
accounted for 0.5% of Quebec’s population.
•
The ISQ forecasts population growth (6.8%) in the Norddu-Québec between 2006 and 2031 (+15.8% in Quebec)
and aging of the population owing to
•
In 2008, the gross domestic product (GDP) at basic prices (in
current $) was $2,622.2 M in the Nord-du-Québec region,
accounting for 0.9% of Quebec’s GDP ($283,217 M).
•
GDP per job, an approximation of labour productivity, was
$131,284 in 2006 in the Nord-du-Québec, compared with
$77,678 for all of Quebec. The Nord-du-Québec’s productivity
would therefore be higher than Quebec’s.
•
The key sectors in Nord-du-Québec are :
- Agri-food
- Renewable energy
- Mining
- Positive natural increase;
- Forestry
- Negative net migration (exodus of young people,
workers and retirees).
•
The ISQ predicts a 4.7-percentage-point decrease between
2006 and 2031 in persons of working age (20-64 years),
from 57.3% to 52.6%, which is lower than the Quebec
percentage (-9.3 percentage points, from 63.4% to 54.1%).
Distribution of the Nord-du-Québec population by age
75
57.3 52.6
45
%
37.4
30
2031
33.6
15
5.3
13.7
0
0-19
20-64
65+
Source : Institut de la statistique du Québec (ISQ).
The Nord-du-Québec’s inter-regional net migration by age
(2004-2009)
No of residents
0
-400
-426
-800
-545
-292
-114
-497
-1200
-1600
-2000
0-14
15-29
30-44
45-64
65+
•
The primary sector accounted for 9.2% of the workforce in the
Nord-du-Québec in 2006 (compared with 2.6% in Quebec), the
construction sector for 3.9% (2.9%), the manufacturing sector for
9.9% (15.4%), and the tertiary sector for 76.9% (79.0%).
Industrial structure, based on jobs in the workplace (2006)
Industries
2006
60
- Tourism
-1874
Total
Source : Institut de la statistique du Québec (ISQ).
The socioeconomic profiles of the administrative regions have been prepared by the Research and
Analysis Branch based on data available as of August 15, 2010. Please address your questions and
comments to Jean Laneville at (514) 283-8829 or jean.laneville@dec-ced.gc.ca.
Health care and social assistance
Public administration
Education
Manufacturing
Retail trade
Utilities
Mining
Accommodation and food services
Construction
Transportation and warehousing
Other services
Agriculture, forestry and fishing
Admin, support and waste mgt services
Prof., scient. and tech. services
Finance and insurance
Arts, entertainment and recreation
Wholesale trade
Information and culture
Real estate and rental
Company management
Total - Industries
Source: Statistics Canada, 2006 Census.
Nord-duQuébec
k
%
2.9
2.2
2.0
1.7
1.5
1.2
1.1
1.1
0.7
0.7
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.1
0.0
17.6
16.4
12.3
11.4
9.9
8.4
6.5
6.3
6.0
3.9
3.8
3.6
2.9
2.5
1.2
1.1
1.1
0.9
0.9
0.6
0.1
100
Quebec
%
12.2
6.3
7.3
15.4
12.8
0.9
0.4
6.5
2.9
4.0
5.0
2.2
2.8
6.5
4.3
1.8
4.5
2.6
1.5
0.1
100
SOCIOECONOMIC PROFILE OF THE
NORD-DU-QUÉBEC (10)
INVESTMENT, RESEARCH AND INNOVATION
Structure of the manufacturing sector, based on jobs in the
workplace (2009)
Job
Wood products
Primary metals
Food, beverage and tobacco products
Paper
Metal products
Miscellaneous manufacturing
Non-metal mineral products
Furniture and related products
Printing and related support activities
Plastic and rubber products
Clothing, leather and allied products
Transportation equipment
Machinery
Electrical equip., appliances & components
Chemicals
Textile product mills and textile products
Petroleum and coal products
Computer and electronic products
Total – Manufacturing industry
Quebec
%
3,633
43.0
1,984
23.5
943
11.2
800
9.5
545
6.4
152
1.8
112
1.3
86
1.0
55
0.7
27
0.3
23
0.3
23
0.3
22
0.3
21
0.2
19
0.2
8
0.1
2
0.0
2
0.0
8,457 100.0
•
Public investment dropped by 24.5% in 2009 to $1,970.1 M,
accounting for 81.9% of total capital expenditures in the Norddu-Québec ($2,404.4 M). The region’s public investment
comprised 9.8% of Quebec public investment in 2009. Over the
period of 2004 to 2009, public investment increased at an
average annual rate of 12.8% in the Nord-du-Québec,
compared with 12.4% in Quebec.
•
Private investment dropped by 53.6% in 2009 to $434.3 M,
accounting for 18.1% of all capital expenditures in the Nord-duQuébec ($2,404.4 M). The region’s private investment
accounted for 1.1% of Quebec private investment in 2009. Over
the period of 2004 to 2009, private investment grew at an
average annual rate of 7.0% in the Nord-du-Québec, compared
with 0.9% in Quebec.
%
8.8
4.7
13.4
6.0
10.2
4.3
2.9
6.7
4.7
6.5
5.1
6.0
6.9
2.8
4.2
2.3
0.8
3.8
100.0
Highest level of educational attainment, 25-64 years (2006)
45
30
%
Nord-du-Qc &
Côte-Nord
Manufacturing Industry
Source: Statistics Canada, Business Register (June 2009), compiled by CED.
•
- Although only 12.1% of tourists came from outside
Quebec, they accounted for 23.8% of total spending
(2008).
BUSINESSES
Large and very
large 1.5%
(Québec 0.8%)
M icro 41.5%
(Québec
50.3%)
Small 37.6%
(Québec
36.1%)
EXPORTS
R&D internal expenses by firms
per capita *
Firm investments in machinery
equipment and material per capita
- The United States was the main destination for exports
from the Nord-du-Québec, the Côte-Nord and the
Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine (49.7% of the total
value), followed by the European Union (27.2%), and
Japan (3.0%) (2007).
university
education
Province of Québec
1999
2004
1999
2004
2001
2005
16
19
15
83
3,604
3,449
4,162 2
5,673 3
416 $
571 $
2,405 $
2,484 $
Rank
15th
15th
15th
14th
2nd
1st
* Data are ranked out of 16 rather than 17 administrative regions in Quebec; Côte-Nord and
Nord-du-Québec are counted together.
Sources: Statistics Canada and the Institut de la Statistique du Québec (ISQ).
Since the Nord-du-Québec has little infrastructure and few
skilled workers to conduct R&D and stimulate innovation, there
are few research, expertise, training and technology
transfer centres.
ECONOMIC WELL-BEING
•
In 2008, the per capita GDP in the Nord-du-Québec was
$63,754, that is, $27,212, or 74.5%, higher than the Quebec
average ($36,542).
•
Personal disposable income per capita for the Nord-duQuébec region was $53,502 in 2008, that is, $27,998, or
109.8%, higher than the Quebec average ($25,504/resident).
The Nord-du-Québec ranked first out of the 17 regions.
•
In 2008, per capita government transfers to the Nord-duQuébec ($36,962/resident) were 6.7 times higher than the
Quebec average ($5,523/resident). This can be explained by
the payment of over $1 billion by the federal government to the
Cree Regional Authority in connection with the implementation
of the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement.
•
However, the percentage of the population in a situation of low
income after tax was higher in the Nord-du-Quebec (18.1%)
than in the province as a whole (15.2%).
In 2007, the Nord-du-Québec and the Côte-Nord had 30
exporting establishments and the value of exports was
$3,351.7 M, accounting for 4.7% of Quebec exports.
- Though 82.5% of the Nord-du-Québec’s and the CôteNord’s exporting establishments were SMEs, they
accounted for only 31.0% of the value of exports (2007).
postsecondary
certificate,
diploma*
Nord-Qc &
Quebec
Côte-Nord
- Xstrata Nickel Mine Raglan (nickel-copper mining)
•
secondary
completed
Innovative Indicators
The main non-governmental employers (500+
employees) are :
In terms of entrepreneurship, the Nord-du-Québec and the
Côte-Nord had 44.5 SMEs per 1,000 residents in 2009,
ranking 4th out of 16 regions in Quebec (average of 37.6
SMEs per 1,000 residents in Quebec).
26.2
* Diplomas or certificates from trade schools, nursing schools, community colleges, CEGEPs,
university certificate below bachelor’s level, etc.
Source: Statistics Canada, 2006 Census.
•
- Chantiers Chibougamau (structural wood product
manufacturing)
35.6
11.8
Nord-du-Québec
Source: Statistics Canada, Business Register (June 2009).
•
14.9
0-8 or partial
secondary
Micro = 1-4 employees, Small = 5-19 employees, Medium = 20-199 employees,
Large and very large = 200 employees or more
•
17.1
Number of institutions actively
engaged in R&D *
Distribution of businesses by size (2009)
M edium 19.4%
(Québec
12.8%)
35.3
21.1
0
In 2009, tourism in the Nord-du-Québec and the Côte-Nord
generated 2,600 jobs and 152 businesses were involved in
the Nord-du-Québec’s tourism sector.
- The Nord-du-Québec was visited by 45,000 tourists, who
spent a total of $17 M (2008) in the region.
15
38.0