Cédrick Gagnon, General Director of the City of La Pocatière, illustrates, “It’s really interesting because we have all the services of a big city, even though we are small. We have access to the St. Lawrence River, access to forest paths and mountains. On the other side, we also have a hospital, we have two college education centers, and all the local services that we need in everyday life, less than 5 minutes on foot or at worst, by car. So, it’s just like living in a neighborhood located in a big city, without the problems of a big one!” ECONOMIC VIBRANCY La Pocatière prides itself on being a hub of innovation and industry, anchored by key employers like Alstom, a multinational company specializing in mass transit systems, as metro, train or tramway. This facility employs over 400 skilled workers and is an important economic driver for the region. The expertise of the “Pocatois” in this technological field has been exported to large cities such as the subways and trains of New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Boston and Mexico, to name just a few. some. The entire Montreal metro and some Toronto and Vancouver tram cars are also in the portfolio of community workers. “La Pocatière is also well known as a city of knowledge and innovation,” shares Economic Development Director, Joël Bourque, who highlights the community’s efforts in research, specifically related to agri-food production. The Institut de technologie agroalimentaire du Québec (ITAQ), is a major player in La Pocatière, involved in the research and development of agri-food technologies, with a focus on improving agricultural practices, food processing techniques, and sustainable farming methods. Centre de développement bioalimentaire du Québec (CDBQ) is another pivotal facility, fostering innovation in the agri-food sector. It boasts state-ofthe-art laboratories and facilities that support the development of cutting-edge products in agriculture and bio-food. Noting that the city is home to other research centres, Bourque adds,“It’s not fundamental research, we don’t have a university, but we have research centers in the field of manufacturing processes, bio-food, and agri-food production. We 227 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 05, ISSUE 07 LA POCAT IÈRE, QC
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