Laval - Laurentides - Lanaudière Economic Highlights

Laval

Area

• The area of the Laval administrative region covers both the Regional Municipal County (MRC) and the City of Laval.

Population and Personal Income

• The population was close to 365,000 inhabitants in 2004, that is, 5% of the population of Quebec.

In 2004, personal income per capita ($30,623) was higher than for Quebec as a whole ($28,595), an ongoing trend for several years.

Employment

• The unemployment rate, which was 8.2% in 2004, was lower than the provincial average (8.5%), an ongoing trend for several years.

Economic activity

• Service industries play a vital role in the region’s economy, accounting for 79% of jobs in 2004. Over a third of these jobs were related to trade and health care and social assistance.

The manufacturing sector (701 companies and 28,200 jobs) is highly diversified. The major industrial sectors are metal products, pharmaceutical products, printing and publishing, food and machinery. In 2004, it accounted for 16% of jobs.

Laval is now recognized as a centre of excellence in biotechnology, owing to the presence of major assets, including the Cité de la biotechnologie et de la santé humaine du Montréal métropolitain, the Quebec Biotechnology Innovation Centre (QBIC), the INRS-Institut Armand-Frappier and the Centre national en biologie expérimentale (CNBE). The region also benefits from the fact that biotechnology and biopharmaceutical companies are concentrated in the area; they could double in number by 2010.

The primary sector is based on agriculture. Laval, Quebec’s horticultural capital, produces 25% of the flowers sold in Quebec.

Please refer to the statistical profile ( PDF / HTM Version ) for more information.

Area

• The Laurentides region covers eight Regional County Municipalities (MRCs): Deux-Montagnes, Mirabel, Argenteuil, Thérèse-De-Blainville, La Rivière-du-Nord, Les Pays-d'en-Haut, Les Laurentides and Antoine-Labelle.
  
  The major cities are: St Jérôme (62,684 inhabitants), St Eustache (41,635 inhabitants) and Blainville (40,635 inhabitants).
  

Population and personal income

• The population was close to 500,000 inhabitants in 2004, that is, 7% of Quebec’s total population. The region ranks first in Quebec in terms of its potential for demographic growth, estimated at 29% by 2026 (in comparison with 9.3% for Quebec as a whole).
  
  In 2004, personal income per capita ($29,614) was higher than for Quebec as a whole ($28,595).
  

Employment

• The unemployment rate, which was 6.8% in 2004, was clearly lower than the provincial average (8.5%), an ongoing trend for several years.
  

Economic activity

• Service industries dominate economic activity (74% of total employment). Jobs related to trade and health care and social assistance are prominent.
  
  The tourism industry, which has great development potential, plays an important role in the Upper Laurentian economy. The region ranks third in Quebec in terms of the average number of rooms occupied on a daily basis, after Montreal and Quebec City. Owing to the development generated by the Mont-Tremblant Resort, a world class four-season destination, tourism is now reconized as an area of excellence.
  
  In the manufacturing sector (823 companies and 48,200 jobs), the southern part of the Laurentides region has the distinction of being home to a number of companies in the transportation sector, including major contract awarders such as Bell Helicopter Textron, Bombardier Aerospace, Nova Bus Corporation, Paccar and Messier-Dowty.
  
  Agriculture and forestry make up most of the primary industry in the area. Forestry is especially prominent in the Antoine-Labelle MRC where there are a number of sawmills.
  

Please refer to the statistical profile ( PDF / HTM Version ) for more information.

Area

• The Lanaudière region is comprised of six Regional County Municipalities (MRCs): Les Moulins, L'Assomption, Montcalm, Joliette, D'Autray and Matawinie.
  
  The major municipalities are: Terrebonne (85,960 inhabitants) and Repentigny (74,485 inhabitants).
  

Population

• The population consisted of 413,600 inhabitants in 2004, that is 6% of the population of Quebec. The region ranks third in Quebec in terms of its potential for demographic growth, estimated at 18% by 2026 (in comparison with 9.3% for Quebec as a whole).
  

Employment

• The unemployment rate, which was 7.6% in 2004, was lower than the provincial average (8.5%), an ongoing trend for several years.
  

Economic activity

• Service industries dominate economic activity (73% of total employment). Jobs related to trade are prominent.
  
  Tourism also plays a key role in diversifying the region’s economic base, particularly in Matawinie (rural part of the area located in the North) because of the popularity of snowmobiling.
  
  The manufacturing sector, which is highly diversified, is based on traditional industries such as the lumber industry. It includes companies that manufacture the complete range of products used in housing construction.
  
  Agriculture and forestry make up most of the primary industry. The organic food sector is emerging since it has acquired enviable know-how with respect to traditional local produce.
  

Please refer to the statistical profile ( PDF / HTM Version )for more information.