Québec City, September 4, 2026 – Mining projects currently under development in Québec could generate major economic impacts over the coming decades. A new study conducted by EcoTec Consultants for the Québec Mining Association (QMA) estimates that, if they were all to proceed, 45 advanced mining projects could represent up to $577 billion in economic activity in Québec.
Based on the available technical data, the study assesses the impacts of projects at various stages of development. It provides an order-of-magnitude estimate of the economic impacts these projects could generate should they proceed.
A Significant Economic Contribution to Québec
According to the data analyzed, these projects could represent the following for Québec over the coming decades:
- up to $577 billion in expenditures by mining companies in Québec over the full life cycle of the projects, including investments and revenues. Expenditures in Québec represent 95% of the estimated $609.3 billion in expenditures in Canada;
- up to $471.4 billion in contributions to Québec’s gross domestic product (GDP);
- up to 1.6 million person-years of employment, equivalent to 1.6 million full-time jobs for one year;
- up to $100.3 billion in tax and parafiscal revenues for the Government of Québec.
Impacts Beyond Mining Regions
The impacts of these projects would extend well beyond the regions where future mine sites would be located. Construction, transportation, engineering, specialized services and equipment requirements would support a broad network of suppliers. In addition, the mining industry value chain would allow several regions of Quebec to benefit from this economic activity. Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Côte-Nord, Nord-du-Québec, Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean and Montréal are among the regions that could benefit from the most significant impacts over the coming decades.
“This study first and foremost makes it possible to measure the extent of the economic potential of mining projects currently under consideration in Quebec. Without assuming that all of these projects will proceed, the study shows that those that do will generate impacts extending well beyond the mine sites themselves. Behind these figures are companies investing, workers building their lives in the regions, young people who can envision their future there, and hundreds of Quebec SMEs providing specialized goods and services. An entire economic ecosystem, spread across several regions of Quebec, benefits from mining projects,” said Emmanuelle Toussaint, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Quebec Mining Association.
The Growing Role of Critical and Strategic Minerals
The study also highlights the growing role that critical and strategic minerals (CSMs) could play in Quebec’s mining industry, in addition to gold and iron, which remain the minerals most widely produced in Quebec today. Of the 45 projects studied, 27 would primarily produce CSMs, such as copper, high-purity iron, graphite, lithium, nickel, niobium, phosphate, scandium, titanium, zinc and rare earth elements. Accounting for more than 70% of the potential investments identified in the study, these minerals demonstrate the strategic role Quebec could play in the supply chains required for our economic security, the energy transition and advanced technologies.
Impacts from a Long-Term Perspective
The results of this study must nevertheless be considered from a long-term perspective. Investments, the start of production and the economic impacts of the various projects would be spread over several decades, from construction to production and then to mine site closure. The figures presented therefore do not represent annual impacts or impacts that would materialize simultaneously.
Furthermore, although there are more than 1,100 exploration projects in Quebec today, a significant portion of the province remains underexplored, particularly in Nord-du-Québec, suggesting even greater potential.
Given Quebec’s significant mineral resources, recognized expertise and established supplier network across several regions, the study illustrates the scale of the economic potential associated with the development of mining projects.
Conditions for Realizing This Potential
“Quebec has a significant portfolio of advanced mining projects. This study makes it possible to measure their economic potential. Realizing this potential will obviously depend on many factors, including improved administrative and regulatory efficiency, access to energy and infrastructure, labour availability, better sharing of mining royalties, as well as market conditions, the advancement of projects through the various stages of development and social acceptability,” added Ms. Toussaint.
The report summary can be accessed online. The full report, available in French only, is available upon request.
— 30 —
Media Contact
Mélanie Charbonneau
Director, Marketing and Outreach
514 293-0589
mcharbonneau@amq-inc.com
FAQ – How should the study results be interpreted?
This study estimates the potential economic impacts associated with 45 advanced mining projects currently under consideration in Quebec for which technical and economic data are available under NI 43-101. It aims to illustrate the order of magnitude of the economic benefits these 45 projects could generate over their full life cycle, from construction to mine site closure.
No. The study is based on the data currently available for 45 advanced mining projects, but it does not assume that all 45 projects will proceed. The results therefore represent economic potential, not a forecast. The study uses currently available data to measure the order of magnitude of the economic potential associated with advanced mining projects currently known in Quebec.
They represent all expenditures associated with the projects over their full life cycle, from construction to operations and mine site closure. This amount includes investments as well as revenues. The latter include operating expenditures, purchases from suppliers, wages and revenues generated during production.
A person-year is equivalent to one person working full time for one year. This measure is used to assess the total volume of work generated by the projects over several decades.
No. The 1.6 million person-years represent the equivalent of 1.6 million years of full-time work spread over several decades. They do not represent 1.6 million different workers or jobs existing simultaneously.
For example :
– 1 job maintained for 10 years = 10 person-years
– 100 jobs for 1 year = 100 person-years
– 1,000 jobs for 20 years = 20,000 person-years
Accordingly, 1.6 million person-years are equivalent to 1.6 million full-time jobs for one year, spread over the entire period covered by the project analysis. The figure of 1.6 million therefore represents all the work that would be performed throughout the life of the projects, not 1.6 million different workers. For example, if these jobs were maintained for 20 years, they would represent an average of approximately 80,000 jobs per year.
Gross domestic product (GDP) measures the economic value created by an activity. In the context of this study, it reflects, among other things, wages paid to workers, value created by businesses and impacts generated for suppliers.
The results are based primarily on the cost and employment estimates contained in the NI 43-101 technical reports for 45 advanced mining projects. National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects governs the public disclosure of scientific, technical and economic information about mineral projects by companies subject to Canadian securities regulations. Projects that are not subject to these requirements or for which the data are not publicly available are outside the scope of the study.
The breakdown of economic impacts by administrative region is based on a database containing the detailed structure of production costs and the complete list of Quebec mining industry suppliers in 2022. It also contains information on mining industry workers’ places of work and residence.
No. The impacts would also benefit suppliers, contractors, engineering firms, carriers and workers located in several regions of Quebec. The study also shows that the potential economic impacts would be distributed across all administrative regions.