Rimouski, Quebec

A Certain Something

A Modern Hub of Innovation and Blue Economy in Eastern Quebec

Positioned along the southern shores of the St. Lawrence River, Rimouski is a thriving city with a rich maritime heritage, rapidly emerging as a key player in Quebec’s economic landscape. With a population of 50,000 and spanning 83,000 acres, the city blends modern infrastructure with a dynamic cultural and economic ecosystem.

Rimouski boasts a highly educated workforce, with 64 % of the population holding advanced degrees. “We’re a small capital, but we’re surrounded by nature,” depicts Jean Létourneau, CEO of the Société de promotion économique de Rimouski (SOPER). “We have lakes and forests behind us, and Saint Lawrence in front.”

A Destination and a Place to Call Home

The community’s robust tourism economy is bolstered by well-known festivals that attract visitors from across the Bas-Saint-Laurent region and beyond. Les Grandes Fêtes TELUS is a must-see event. Coined the largest music festival east of Quebec City, this award winning extravaganza features performances by local and global stars. Celebrating its 38th year, Festi Jazz International is another Rimouski gem, drawing audiences from near and far, to witness top performances from the greatest names in jazz, both renowned and emerging.

Alongside these beloved festivals, the city boasts unique attractions such as the Empress of Ireland, the second-largest shipwreck after the Titanic. The museum, which draws near 100,000 visitors annually, is currently undertaking a $20 million project to transform an adjacent submarine into a larger museum with venue for conferences and events.

Major Investments and Economic Development

The city’s economic landscape is expanding in tandem with its population. Létourneau describes, “Rimouski is a major commercial hub in the eastern part of the province. We have a downtown area, and a Smartcenter where Costco is currently under construction. We are actually attracting people from all over eastern Quebec and northern New Brunswick.”

Driving economic growth are two key industrial areas- Rimouski-Est and Pointe-au-Père. Rimouski-Est currently offers 45 acres for new commercial or industrial ventures, with plans to expand the industrial zone by 120 acres by 2027. Meanwhile, Pointe-au-Père provides an additional 255 acres of industrial land, further enhancing the city’s development opportunities.

Among the major investments is a $28 million expansion by Miralis, a Quebec-based trailblazer in custom cabinetry. The new product collection, M.02, will be manufactured locally using cutting-edge automation technology. “It’s a huge investment,” says Létourneau. “This business is advancing its own field, and that will keep them ahead.” Similarly, Trailex, a top trailer manufacturer in North America, is investing over $20 million to enhance its operations.

These developments are complemented by a significant housing boom, with more than 1000 units under construction or on the verge to be. This is only the beginning of what is needed to accommodate the growth, as Létourneau reports, “In the next five years, Rimouski needs 5000 housing units.” Fortunately, Rimouski has numerous incentives available to encourage residential development. The city also offers tax incentives and collaborates with dedicated organizations to support businesses looking to establish themselves in the region.

Additionally, the community is experiencing notable public investment, with the recent completion of the Lab-École, which Létourneau describes as “a modern way of teaching kids.” Ongoing construction at the Université du Québec à Rimouski include a Faculty of Medicine and a Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. “So that’s two new fields that are opening in our small university,” he says.

Innovation and the Blue Economy

Rimouski’s economic strategy is deeply focused on the blue economy. “It’s all the economic sectors related to the use of the ocean, both with the live resources, where we’re talking about blue bio economy, but also the blue energy and marine renewable energies, all the marine transportation, coastal tourism,” explains Marina Soubirou, Executive Director of Technopole Maritime du Quebec (TMQ). “It’s a really growing sector in Canada, and they envision five times the growth, to reach $220 billion throughout Canada in 2035. Rimouski has a very special place in this because it has been a visionary community.”

The city has established itself as a global leader in this field, thanks in part to the Technopole Maritime du Québec. Founded in 2000, TMQ was the first organization in the province dedicated to fostering sustainable development and innovation in the blue economy sector. “At that time, stakeholders in Rimouski had the vision to see that this was a growing sector. And their vision was right, and now we have based in Rimouski, the cluster for the province of Quebec, in the blue economy,” Soubirou relays.

Several state-of-the-art research institutions are located in the community, including the Marine Science Institute at the Université du Québec à Rimouski, the Marine Biotechnologies Research Center, the Maurice Lamontagne Institute, one of the largest research centers for Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and CIDCO, a research center focused on Innovation Maritime dedicated to maritime transportation. These facilities have attracted a growing number of companies specializing in blue technologies, positioning Rimouski as a key hub. “There were around 60 companies in 2018, and now we have a little bit more than 140 companies dedicated to marine biotechnologies in Quebec. A lot of them are around Rimouski, and a lot of them exist because there was research work done at the Marine Biotechnologies Research Center,” conveys Soubirou. “We have a very secure and supportive business environment for the blue economy in Rimouski.”

This has attracted international attention, with partnerships and collaborations spanning Europe, Asia, and North America. “At the end of the year we’ll have Futurocean, a forum dedicated to the innovations in the blue economy. And we’ll have people coming from several European regions,” Soubirou recounts, “We are very recognized for this, and we expect a new investment from the government of Quebec in this sector.” Presently, Rimouski is awaiting official designation as a Blue Economy Innovation Zone by the Quebec government, a status that would further solidify its position as a front runner in the field.

Partnership and Collaboration

Rimouski has multiple Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with regions worldwide, supported by partnerships with economic agencies like Quebec Investment and Quebec International. “On the blue economy side, we have had bilateral, decentralized cooperation for more than 10 years, with the Britannia region in France,” Soubirou expands. “We’re trying to have more MOUs with all the destinations in other French speaking countries. We are lucky, because we have a lot of delegates from Quebec abroad, and we have built very good relationships with them.”

Rimouski also benefits from strong provincial and federal connections, allowing it to showcase its marine biotechnology sector on international platforms like the recent Bio Convention in San Diego. “There is also international cooperation between ports at the international level to help the startups go and conduct experimentation in various ports around the world,” says Soubirou. This spirit of collaboration extends to cultural exchanges, as seen in the involvement of international artists in local events like Festi Jazz.

A Vision for the Future

Looking ahead, Rimouski’s leaders are focused on two major objectives- securing the Blue Economy Innovation Zone designation and addressing the city’s growing housing needs. “We are anticipating that the attractiveness of the city with the blue economy and all the projects, is going to rise. So, we need way more housing than we have,” asserts Létourneau

Designed to foster development and attract startups, an innovation zone promotes proximity among stakeholders to enhance collaboration and innovation. “Rimouski is perfect for this, because we have stakeholders that used to talk together, to work together, and we just need a little more investment and a little more infrastructure to be able to scale up,” she says.

Key focuses include marine technologies, coastal tourism, and advanced marine drones—submersible, surface, and aerial. Soubirou details, “Marine technologies are what is growing the fastest. In Quebec, and especially in Rimouski, we have a lot of startups that are dedicated to this.”  Whale Seeker, a top AI startup in the environmental sector, is one example. “We have a lot of people working with drones that are starting to come, and there are currently projects to support this growing sector,” she adds.

Embracing its natural surroundings, rich cultural heritage and significant economic growth, Rimouski is poised for success. Setting itself up as a dynamic hub in Quebec, this vibrant city is proof that a small community can have a substantial impact on both regional and international stages.

AT A GLANCE

Rimouski, Quebec

What: A vibrant and expanding city, and a hub of blue economy

Where: Bas-Saint-Laurent region of Quebec, Canada

Website: www.rimouski.ca