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Contributing to Economic Growth Throughout Québec
Promoting Regional Development |
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Through its presence and activities—purchases of goods and services, creation of direct and indirect jobs, presence of our employees throughout Québec, payment of taxes—Hydro-Québec contributes to the development of Québec and its regions.
With its buying power, Hydro-Québec is one of the largest purchasers of goods and services in Québec. To best serve the interests of Quebecers, it strives to acquire quality products and services at the best price possible.
Hydro-Québec is also directly involved with local committees and economic organizations, such as governing boards of chambers of commerce and sector-based economic development organizations.
In addition, we help regional businesses flourish with intelligence gathering and information sharing in cooperation with the provincial Department of Economic and Regional Development, Emploi Québec and Investissement Québec.
Furthermore, tours of Hydro-Québec's facilities generate significant local economic activity. The company also supports organizations that coordinate guided tours of its properties, including the Cité de l'énergie in the Mauricie region and the Sept-Chutes recreation and tourism complex in the Québec City region.
More information on guided tours. |
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Some Examples |
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More than half of Hydro-Québec's employees work in outlying regions. The largest concentrations of employees are in Montréal and Québec, and in the Montérégie and Côte-Nord regions. |
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As part of the Eastmain-1-A/Sarcelle/Rupert project, we reached a new, three-year agreement in 2007 with the ComaxNORD and ComaxAT economic spinoff committees to maximize jobs and contracts awarded in the region. |
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In 2007, the Grande Rivière regional branch received an award for economic contribution to Abitibi-Témiscamingue from the Rouyn-Noranda Chamber of Commerce. This is the third award it has won in recent years. |
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In 2007, about 94% ($2.6 billion) of the company's purchases of goods and services were from Québec-based businesses. |
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Our purchases enable us to support 12,000 to 15,000 direct jobs a year. |
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We participate in the activities of various regional economic organizations, forums and committees, such as:
- Chambers of commerce and development agencies in various municipalities and regions of Québec, including the chambers of commerce for Sept-Îles and Havre-Saint-Pierre, the Junior Chamber of Commerce of Manicouagan, and the Thérèse-de-Blainville Chamber of Commerce and Industry
- Association des professionnels en développement économique du Québec
- An association offering budgeting assistance for low-income households in the Saguenay region
- Regional partners forum in Montérégie
- Shawinigan joint municipal/industrial committee
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We also attend meetings with various regional bodies to promote entrepreneurship among young people. |
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Some of our facilities are open to the public. Every year, some 150,000 visitors tour Hydro-Québec facilities and sites managed by our partners. Among the most popular are the Cité de l'énergie and the Sept-Chutes visitors' centre, which are administered by independent organizations. The Électrium, our interpretation centre on electricity and electric and magnetic fields, the Manicouagan and La Grande complex facilities, and Beauharnois generating station are also favorites with visitors. |
| Hydro-Québec's Contribution to the Québec Economy |
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2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
| Permanent workforce as at December 31 |
18,835 |
19,009 |
19,116 |
19,459 |
| Temporary workforce (annual average) |
3,567 |
3,577 |
3,799 |
3,910 |
| Capital tax ($M) |
324 |
330 |
261 |
278 |
| Tax on public services ($M) |
- |
229 |
230 |
240 |
| Water-power royalties ($M) |
- |
- |
- |
263 |
| Municipal and school taxes ($M) |
34 |
36 |
36 |
35 |
| Procurement of goods and services inside and outside Québec ($M) |
2,394 |
2,367 |
2,673 |
2,586 |
| Proportion procured from Québec businesses (%) |
94 |
92 |
92 |
94 |
| Direct jobs sustained by all procurement, including purchases outside Québec (person-years) |
15,000 |
12,654 |
14,000 |
13,000 |
Economic information by region of Québec (in French only).
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