Human capital
With the presence of a number of major companies over the past several decades, the Baie-Comeau IP zone possesses considerable expertise in heavy industry. In Baie-Comeau, you will find a pool of skilled workers with expertise in civil engineering, construction, and industrial processes, as well as a large number of recent graduates in related programs.
On average, labour costs in Quebec are 34% lower than in the U.S. and 16% lower than in other G7 countries.
TRAINING
Several training programs in heavy industry or forestry are available. Additionally, training programs tailored to the specific needs of local companies can also be developed by local institutions to serve the mining and primary processing industries.
Forestry training:
- Operation of heavy machinery
- Felling and shaping of timber
- Forestry management
- Fish and game management
- Forest region management
Heavy industry training:
- Diamond drilling
- Operation of production equipment
- Machining techniques
- Industrial construction and maintenance mechanics
- Automated systems electromechanics
- Automotive mechanics
- Civil engineering
- Industrial electronics
- Electrical engineering technology: automation and control
For labor
Additional Solutions
- Airport for fly-in fly-out traffic from urban centres
- Possibility to relocate Quebec workers from other regions of Quebec
- Possibility to hire up to 20% of temporary foreign workers
Research and innovation
The region has a number of research centres that IP zone companies can call on for technical assistance and applied research:
- Forestry and small fruit:
Centre d’expérimentation et de développement en forêt boréale (CEDFOB), partnered with the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
- Agrigood:
Consortium de recherche sur la pomme de terre du Québec (CRPTQ)
- Renewable energy:
Consortium Innovation Technologique Énergie Côte-Nord (CITEC)
- Industrial maintenance:
Institut technologique de maintenance industrielle (ITMI)
The Côte-Nord also boasts two niches of excellence, encompassing over 50 SMEs:
- Ingénierie des procédés industriels, miniers et métallurgiques (IPIMM)
- Ressources Sciences et Technologies Marines (RSTM)
CI3EM is an innovation centre dedicated to green metallurgy and alternative energies. Its aim is to support partner companies with their applied research projects and the commercialization of new innovative processes, to develop new expertise, and to organize exchanges between key players in the sector.