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The Basics of Québec
Known as "la belle province" (the beautiful province) to its locals, Québec is Canada's largest province in terms of area and is home to approximately 7,600,000 people. Québec is a vibrant multicultural province, often earning it recognition as the "Europe of North America". Québec is also famous for its vast forests, rolling hills and countless waterways. In fact, Québec has over 1,000,000 lakes and waterways, giving it more fresh water than any other province.Québec is the only province in which the official language is French and its capital city is Québec City. Québec is also home to Canada's second largest city, and the second largest French speaking city in the world, Montreal. Other major cities are all located in proximity to the St. Lawrence river and include Trois-Rivieres, Sherbrooke, Chicoutimi-Jonquiere and Hull. Since the end of World War II, more than 650,000 immigrants from over 80 countries have moved to Québec, particularly to the multicultural city of Montreal.
Economy and Employment
Québec's economy is highly industrialized and diversified. Québec's advanced manufacturing sector produces a wide variety of products for export, such as air traffic control equipment, software, subway trains, helicopters, compact disks, air purifiers and toys. Montreal, the province's commercial capital, has developed competitive industries in space and aeronautics, pharmaceuticals, telecommunications, energy, transportation and finance. Montreal has also recently become known for its software startups, most notably with regards to the entertainment industry and follows Vancouver as a major movie-production center.In addition, the Province of Québec is very rich in natural resources. Québec produces more than a third of Canada's pulp and paper products and a large percentage of its soft lumber. Thanks to Québec's abundant hydroelectric generating capacity, the state-owned energy sector produces and sells large quantities of hydro-electricity to neighbouring provinces and the United States, Agriculture revenue is also considerable in the province.
Standard of living
The average earnings for a family in Québec is very near the Canadian average. The province boasts an excellent standard of living however thanks to its affordable cost of living. The cost of living in Québec is lower than the Canadian average, particularly when it comes to housing. Montreal is among the most affordable major cities in North America.While Québec has among the highest provincial personal income tax , these taxes translate into publicly provided services that contribute to high standards of living in the province. Publicly provided healthcare and heavily subsidized transportation, post-secondary education and cultural services ensure that all Québeckers have access to these important contributors to a high standard of living.
Residential Housing
Québec has one of the most affordable housing markets in Canada. Despite a recent real estate boom, rental costs have remained considerably lower than in Toronto and Vancouver. However, the average percentage of household income taken up by ownership costs is slightly above the Canadian average..Education
Québec is home to one of the most affordable and comprehensive educational systems in North America. According to Canadian law, all Canadian citizens under the age of 20 are entitled to an education through the end of secondary school at no direct cost to the user. Québec has publicly funded elementary and secondary schools in both French and English as the language of instruction. The province has the highest rate of private school attendance of any Canadian province.While most Canadian provinces offer publicly funded schools through to the end of Grade 12, Québec's secondary school students receive their diplomas after Grade 11. After completing secondary school, Québec students may attend free pre-university or vocational programs through the province's CEGEP (Collège d'Enseignement Général et Professionel) system.
The system of universities in Québec includes a network of institutions that offer world-class education in both official languages. McGill University and L'Université de Montreal are well renowned around the world for their scholarship and research. In addition, Concordia University and Bishop's University, and L'école des Hautes Etudes Commerciales and L'Université de Laval offer competitive and well-respected educational programs. The average yearly tuition paid by Québec students is the lowest in Canada.
Health Care
Under Canadian Law, all provinces and territories must provide universal, publicly funded health care to all citizens and legal residents of Canada. In other words, most basic health services in Canada are offered at no direct cost to the patient.Health care in Québec is universally available to all residents at no cost to the individual. The Québec Health Care plan covers the full cost of all necessary medical services for all citizens and most permanent residents in Québec. This coverage includes doctor examinations, medical testing, emergency care, hospital care and emergency dental care.
History
The province of Québec received its name from the aboriginal inhabitants of the province. The name Québec means "strait, narrows", referring to the portion of the St. Lawrence River that narrows near Québec City.Québec would in turn become one of the first areas of North America to be explored by Europeans. From the early 1600's on Québec would be a major destination for French settlement as well as a launching point for exploration of other areas of Canada.
The mid 1700's marked an important period of transition for Québec. After a series of battles, British forces defeated the French General Louis-Joseph de Montcalm at the Plains of Abraham outside of Québec City in 1759. The result of this battle was that France ceded all of its colonial territories in Canada to Great Britain, and Québec was no longer under French control. This set the stage for Québec to become one of the 4 founding provinces of Canada in 1867.
In the mid 20th century Québec underwent a period of modernization that has become known as the "quiet revolution". During this time the province shifted from a more traditional agricultural society towards a modern, urban one. This period saw the standard of living in the province improve, a long with an increased awareness of Québec's distinct cultural and linguistic heritage.
Culture
Québec is home to a vibrant culture that plays a key role in attracting visitors from throughout Canada and across the world. On the one hand, strong efforts to keep the province's Francophone heritage alive ensure that one can find arts, cuisine and cultural events that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. In addition, immigration to the province from all over the world has helped to produce a multicultural society that features elements from all of the many cultural groups that have made the province their home. These two factors combine to create a thriving culture that offers something for everyone.As the province's largest city, Montreal is known worldwide for its unique multicultural vibe. Since its inception Montreal has been home to sizable communities of both English and French speakers, making it a truly bilingual city. In addition, over time Montreal has welcomed hundreds of thousands of immigrants as one of the top destinations for newcomers to Canada. While Montreal winters can be cold, Montrealers show their appreciation of the sun by filling the summer with as much outdoor activity as possible, with street festivals, concerts and various other activities.
Québec City, the province's political and administrative capital, has some of the most well-preserved historic sites in North America. The old city in its entirety is recognized as a world heritage site by UNESCO. The large majority of Québec City's residents speak French.
Demographics
At over 7.5 million residents, Québec's population accounts for nearly one quarter of Canada's total. Of this total approximately 3.6 million live in the Montreal area, while the capital of Québec City is home to over 670,000. 80 per cent of the province's residents live in urban areas.With one of the lowest birth rates in Canada, nearly all of Québec's future growth can be expected to come from immigration. Many Canadian immigrants from francophone countries choose to settle in Québec, notably from France and a sizable Haitian population. Québec is also home to large communities of individuals of Italian, Greek, Arab, Irish, Chinese and South Asian origin, among others.
Immigration
According to the Canada-Québec Immigration Agreement, the Province of Québec selects the immigrants that settle within its borders. Though the categories are slightly different than the federal ones, in much the same way the system is meant to evaluate which immigrants are most likely to become economically established after arriving in Canada.Today Québec welcomes approximately 45,000 immigrants each year. With the province's economy growing and the birth rate declining, immigration to Québec can only be expected to grow in the future. Immigrants come to Québec each year from over 100 countries, helping to contribute to the multicultural character of the province.
Government
Canada's government works on a federal system, with control over certain affairs belonging to the national government in Ottawa, and others under the control of the provincial governments. The province of Québec has its own democratically-elected legislature known as the National Assembly of Québec, which is located in the capital of Québec City. There are 125 members elected to the Québec National Assembly, each representing the interests of a specific geographic district. The current government is led by Premier Jean Charest of the Québec Liberal Party.As one of Canada's founding provinces and the only province with a Francophone majority, Québec's provincial government has a significant degree of control over its affairs. While in 1980 and 1995 the province held referendums on the possibility of separating from Canada, in each of these votes the people of Québec voted to remain a part of Canada. In recent years sovereignty has not been a major political issue, and is unlikely to resurface in the near future.
Major Cities
Montreal
The Greater Montreal Area is home to approximately 3.6 million people, which includes nearly half of the population of the province of Québec. Immigrants account for nearly 30 per cent of the total population of Montreal. The city boasts representation from 120 different cultural communities with origins on each of the world's continents.Montreal is the economic capital of Québec, home to major international corporations and some of Canada's most important industries. While manufacturing remains an important sector for the city's economy, it is being outpaced by the rapid growth of advanced technology sectors. Montreal's advanced industries are quickly becoming world leaders in their fields.
Montreal is a city that is both lively and vibrant as well as clean and safe. Montrealers take advantage of the many artistic and cultural events that take place throughout the city all year. With extensive parks located throughout the city, Montrealers also enjoy natural beauty and outdoor recreation just a short walk from major business and cultural areas.