Energy
General Industry Profile
Greater Montréal’s energy sector is primarily represented by the electrical industry, the petroleum products and biofuel industries, and by other emerging energy sources, such as solar, geothermal and wind energy, and biomass. On the electricity side, Hydro-Québec has its head office in Montréal and employs approximately 22,000 people, with the majority working in the metropolitan region of Montréal.
Several goods and services firms also work in the electricity sector, such as Alstom, ABB and RSW. Two refineries (Shell and Pétro-Canada), Éthanol GreenField and Rotsay are the major employers in the fuel industry. Montréal has several other players in this sector, such as Gaz Métro, Société Gazmont and Air Liquide.
For oil and gas exploration, the Basses-Terres du Saint-Laurent (from Île d’Orléans to the southern U.S. border, via Montréal) form part of the regions of interest. For the 2008-2009 period, well permits totalling nearly $50M were issued for this region. And in the renewable energy sectors, Montréal is home to many consultants and firms, such as Centennial Solar and 5N plus inc.
Key Figures
- More than 45,000 employees
- $3.6B in exports (2008)
- Nearly 1,000 students in areas related to food processing
Benefits of the Region
Labour
Several educational options are available at Montréal’s four universities in various engineering specialties and engineering science, not to mention the technical and professional training available in the region.
R&D
Several energy research centres are located in the Greater Montréal region, such as:
- Hydro-Québec’s Research Institute (IREQ), the leader in technology innovation at Hydro-Québec
- CANMET Energy Technology Centre (CETC), in Varennes, which designs technology solutions to produce and use energy in a clean and efficient manner
- Institut national de recherche scientifique (INRS) – Material and telecommunications energy centre, which promotes innovation and trains high calibre science students at the graduate and doctoral levels in strategic sectors for Québec’s economy, such as the energy sector
- Concordia University’s Solar Buildings Research Network, which brings together 24 Canadian researchers and numerous partners working in the fields of solar energy and constructio
Incentives
Developing the energy sector is one of the priorities of the Government of Québec. The implementation of Quebec’s Energy Strategy 2006-2015 is proof of the importance of energy for Québec. As well, in 2008, a green technology development strategy was added to the initiatives of the Government of Québec to promote energy-related development.
The Government of Québec offers firms in the energy sector several support programs to encourage the development of green technologies, such as:
- The Technology Demonstration Program that helps to reduce Technoclimat greenhouse gas emissions
- Financial assistance to create jobs and training
- R&D programs
- The technology advancement and showcase programs
- Strategic Support for Investment Program.
Firms in Québec can also benefit from the financial support of the federal government, through its energy-related technology development programs.
R&D-related tax credits and holidays are also available in Québec.
Costs
The cost of electrical energy, the availability and expertise of manpower, as well as a strong industrial base make Montréal the preferred location to establish a company in the energy sector.
Key leaders
- Hydro-Québec: world leader in the production of green energy
- ABB: one of the world’s largest electrical equipment suppliers
- Alstom: world leader in the field of hydroelectric equipment
- Ethanol GreenField: produces 120 million litres of ethanol annually
- Rotsay: produces 35 million litres of biodiesel annually
- Internationally-renowned engineering firms, such as SNC-Lavalin, RSW, BPR, Génivar and Tecsult.
