Quebec, a land of science and technology, space industries, renewable energy, mining and natural resources

Quebec is a rich province of Canada now billed as clean energy superpower. The economy of Quebec is ranked the 37th largest economy in the world.

The economy of Quebec is based mainly on the services sector. Quebec's economy has traditionally been fuelled by abundant natural resources, a well-developed infrastructure, and average productivity.

The credit rating of Quebec is currently rated Aa2 according to Moody's rating agency. In June 2017 S&P rated Quebec as an AA- credit risk, surpassing Ontario for the first time.

The Institut national de la recherche scientifique is helping to advance scientific knowledge and to train a new generation of students in various scientific and technological sectors. 

More than one million Quebecers work in the field of science and technology which represents more than 30% of Quebec's GDP.

Quebec is experiencing faster growth of its R&D spending than other Canadian provinces. Approximately 1.1 million Quebecers work in the field of science and technology.

Quebec has over 260 companies which employ about 43,000 people.

Approximately 62% of the Canadian aerospace industry is based in Quebec. Quebec is also a major player in several leading-edge industries including aerospace, information technologies and software and multimedia.

The mining industry accounted for approximately 6.3% of Quebec's GDP.

The pulp and paper industries generate annual shipments valued at more than $14 billion.  The forest products industry ranks second in exports.

Agri-food industry plays an important role in the economy of Quebec. The abundance of natural resources gives Quebec an advantageous position on the world market.

Quebec is remarkable for the natural resources of its vast territory. Many metallic minerals are exploited, the principals are gold, iron, copper and zinc. Many other substances are extracted including titanium, asbestos, silver, magnesium, nickel and many other metals and industrial minerals.

More than a million lakes and rivers cover Quebec, occupying 21% of the total area of its territory. 

The government of Quebec has launched the Stratégie québécoise de la recherche et de l'innovation (SQRI) in 2007 which aims to promote development through research, science and technology. The government hopes to create a strong culture of innovation in Quebec for the next decades and to create a sustainable economy. 

Quebec is considered as one of world leaders in fundamental scientific research, having produced ten Nobel laureates in either physics, chemistry, or medicine. It is also considered as one of the world leaders in sectors such as aerospace, information technology, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals.

Quebec is also active in the development of its energy industries, including renewable energy such as hydropower and wind power.

The Canadian Space Agency was established in Quebec due to its major role in this research field.

The province is one of the world leaders in the field of space science and contributed to important discoveries in this field.

Quebec ranks among the world leaders in the field of life science. Quebec has more than 450 biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies which together employ more than 25,000 people and 10,000 highly qualified researchers. Montreal is ranked 4th in North America for the number of jobs in the pharmaceutical sector.

Development and security of land transportation in Canada are provided by the ministère des Transports du Québec.

In the waters of the St. Lawrence there are eight deep-water ports for the transhipment of goods. 

Concerning rail transport, Quebec has 6,678 kilometres (4,150 mi) of railways integrated in the large North American network. 

The upper air network includes 43 airports that offer scheduled services on a daily basis. In addition, the Government of Quebec owns airports and heliports to increase the accessibility of local services to communities in the Basse-Côte-Nord and northern regions.

Various other transport networks crisscross the province of Quebec, including hiking trails, snowmobile trails and bike paths.

Quebec is the fourth largest producer of hydroelectricity in the world after China, Brazil and the United States and relies almost exclusively (96% in 2008) on this source of renewable energy for its electricity needs.