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Québec-based IT executives at multinational computer services giants attribute the success and expansion of their enterprises to being located in Québec. An increasingly bilingual and skilled work force, higher education resources, proximity to Europe and the U.S. Northeast and a business climate that encourages capital investment are some of the assets they identify as drivers of their ability to compete. More specifi cally, they compete successfully with other subsidiaries of their parent companies worldwide for capital investment, or they complement those subsidiaries as no other operation can, they maintain.
Quebec City has successfully completed the second round of the prestigious international contest organized by the Intelligent Community Forum (ICF) and has been named one of the Top 7 Intelligent Communities. The announcement was made in Honolulu, Hawaii by Louis Zacharilla, Director of Development for ICF. Last October, Quebec City was ranked among the Smart 21 Communities for the second year in a row. Nearly 400 applications from cities and regions around the world were evaluated.
Canada ranks No. 1 in our annual look at the Best Countries for Business. While the U.S. is paralyzed by fears of a double-dip recession and Europe struggles with sovereign debt issues, Canada’s economy has held up better than most. The $1.6 trillion economy is the ninth biggest in the world and grew 3.1% last year. It is expected to expand 2.4% in 2011, according to the Royal Bank of Canada.
FastTrac® is a top-tier training program for tech firm creation and start-ups. It also gives entrepreneurs access to the local ecosystem’s full range of resources, as well as to all high-level stakeholders. Quebec International is the first organization in Canada to receive FastTrac® Affiliate certification from the Kauffman Foundation. (information page in french only)
On October 22, Quebec City gained another international distinction when it was named one of the Top 21 most intelligent communities (Smart 21 Community 2011) by the Intelligent Community Forum (ICF), a New York-based independent think tank dedicated to developing the digital economy. The announcement was made by Louis Zacharilla, one of the ICF’s founders, at a ceremony in Suwon, South Korea.
Quebec International (QI) and the Quebec City region are shining brightly again thanks to their placement in Site Selection magazine’s Canadian rankings. The Quebec City region placed third in the Top Canadian Metros. This category evaluates the economic performance of Canada’s metropolitan regions. The final result was calculated by compiling major investment projects. The Quebec City region was outpaced by Toronto and Hamilton.
During the ceremony, seven awards were presented, with a total value of nearly $90,000. XpertSea Solutions, a firm specializing in aquaculture, has won the $30,000 Devtech 50 grand prize ($15,000 in cash and $15,000 in services). The prize was bestowed by “Presenter” partner Essor Strategies.
Blog by John Parisella: National unemployment rates often overshadow the work of some communities in transforming their economic profiles. Cities like Raleigh NC have transformed their economy and others like Des Moines IA have significantly lowered their unemployment rates. Another below the radar screen example is Québec City, Canada.
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Québec International
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Québec International's mission is to contribute to the economic development of the Québec City metropolitan region and enhance its international status. As a regional economic development agency, Québec International fosters growth and development, supports key business sectors and attracts talent and investment to the region. The agency is supported by public and private partners; particularly with the financial support from the Government of Québec (ministère du Développement économique de l'Innovation et de l'Exportation, Emploi-Québec, Bureau de la Capitale-Nationale/National Capital office), Economic Development Canada and the Ville de Québec.
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