the QMEA comes in. Policy, law and regu-
lation lie at the core of the QMEA’s exis-
tence and that’s why the association ac-
tively partakes in Plan Nord, a government
proposal that aims to promote economic
development in northern Québec. Luckily
for the association and its members, min-
ing is one of the sectors being promoted
to increase employment and prosperity.
For the mining sector, this plan was pre-
sented under the Charest government four
years ago, a timewhenmineral prices were
sky high. Then things took a dive; prices
came tumbling down followed by a change
in government in 2012, and Plan Nord sud-
denly became Plan Mort. The 2014 elec-
tions brought with it the Couillard admin-
istration. Implementation of some of the
measures that were initially presented has
now begun with the formation of the So-
ciété du Plan Nord — the government en-
tity now responsible for the development
of northern Québec. With a budget of over
$400 million, the Société will invest along
with companies in the development of in-
frastructure.
The members of the QMEA are being di-
rectly and positively impacted by this.With
infrastructure like roads, companies can
now come into these northern regions and
APRIL 2016
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business elite canada
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