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Mauricie intervention strategy

Profile and priorities of a region that is home both to traditional manufacturers and SMEs in emerging high-tech sectors

Portrait of the region

Territory and population

The territory of Mauricie-Lanaudière encompasses 10 RCMs, two of them with strong economic growth (Trois-Rivières, Joliette) and eight with low economic growth (Shawinigan, Des Chenaux, Maskinongé, Mékinac, La Tuque, D’Autray, Matawinie and Montcalm), 92 municipalities and 3 Indigenous Atikamekw communities (Wemotaci, Manawane, Obedjiwan). A total of 479,647 people (5.9% of Quebec’s population) inhabit a territory of 52,471 km2.

Economy

The local economy (6% of Quebec’s GDP) is more diversified than it was historically because of a greater presence of SMEs in traditional manufacturing sectors (forest products, furniture, agri-food, metallurgy, plastics) working alongside emerging industries with a high technology content (aeronautics, mechanically welded equipment, transportation equipment, information technology and communications, green technologies). The unemployment rate is 6.8% in Mauricie and 7.2% in Lanaudière, compared to 6.9% for Quebec.

Assets

Advantageous geographical position and transportation infrastructures (highways, port and airport), an economy that still enjoys plentiful natural resources, but is less dependent on them and is becoming ever more diversified through the presence of technological SMEs, which can count on a university (UQTR) and four colleges centers with technology-transfer capabilities (CCTT).

Challenges

In a context of scarce specialized labour, the need to prepare the next generation of entrepreneurs and the dependency of manufacturing enterprises on the US market, productivity, modernization of processes and production, business innovation and market diversification already constitute major challenges and will continue to do so for a long time.
 

Priorities for action

  • Businesses supported by CED are innovative and growing
    • Directly supporting enterprises in their efforts to innovate and to commercialize the fruits of their innovation.
    • Prioritizing SMEs’ productivity projects which are part of the move to digital technologies, such as projects for implementing ERP systems and developing or adopting technological mechanisms targeting efficiency of production.
    • Supporting innovative business start-ups that contribute to the growth of sectors with a strong development potential.
    • Supporting enterprises belonging to value-added industries in their steps to break into the supply chains of major contract givers.
  • Businesses and regions supported by CED participate in an economy geared toward clean growth
    • Promoting the development, adoption and commercialization of clean technologies and productivity or innovation projects of SMEs that are part of the move toward use or adoption of clean, environmentally friendly technologies.
  • Quebec communities benefit from strategic investment that promotes their economic diversification and participation in an inclusive economy
    • Supporting projects aiming to provide weakened areas with distinctive assets, such as shared economic facilities that will generate significant economic benefits.
    • Supporting the start-up, maintenance and growth of SMEs in the most disadvantaged MRCs in their projects to improve productivity and increase production capacity (for example through expansion, acquisition of strategic equipment and optimization of processes).
  • Indigenous peoples benefit from CED programs and participate in Quebec's economic growth
    • Supporting Indigenous communities in carrying out their projects.
    • Ensuring a more sustained presence in Indigenous communities and helping CED collaborators to support their development efforts.

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