About POLE

POLE... helps local companies to reach their full potential

POLE Québec Chaudière-Appalaches (POLE) stimulates wealth creation, encourages entrepreneurship and develops strategic approaches in the areas of innovation, investment, marketing and workforce training, focusing on three sectors of excellence:

Applied technologies – optics/photonics; defence, security and emergency preparedness; geospace; electronics; and information technologies.
Health and Nutrition – biopharmaceuticals (diagnostic tools, contractual research and drug development), active ingredients (nutraceuticals, cosmeceuticals, natural health products), techno-health (telemedicine), medical equipment manufacturing, wellness products and services, specialized services.
Manufacturing – secondary wood processing, plastics and composite materials, metal manufacturing, green and intelligent buildings.

Whether supporting groundbreaking initiatives in the areas of innovation, productivity and technology transfers, forging strategic partnerships between businesses, organizations, institutions and research centres or organizing world-class events like Futurallia and Laser Precision Manufacturing 2008, an international forum focusing on laser micro/nanomanufacturing technology research and development. POLE’s professionals have dedicated their efforts to promoting prosperity and competitiveness throughout the QCA zone. In recognition of these valuable contributions, POLE was named one of the Top Canadian Groups, an elite ranking of Canada’s 10 leading economic development organizations compiled by Site Selection Magazine in 2007 and 2008.

Every year, small businesses in the QCA zone invest more than $2 million in POLE’s training programs! Our Skills Development and Training Department offers more than 100 high-level training seminars to 2,000 participants annually.

POLE... also helps companies from around the world to invest in a high-potential region

According to various key economic indicators, Quebec City has earned an enviable reputation as the best place to set up and operate a business in North America:

“#1 city for business in Canada and the US ^ASSUA,” 2010 KPMG Competitive Alternatives
“#1 safest city for children in Canada ^ASSUA,” Statistics Canada 2010
“B grade: City Magnets II – Lévis (17th) and Quebec City (19th),” Conference Board of Canada, 2010 (the region was also assigned a B grade in 2007)
“Quebec City, 6th best city in Canada for sustainable development,” Corporate Knights, 2010
“#1 in terms of capacity to transform innovation and creativity into economic drivers in Canada and the US ^ASSUA,” Martin Prosperity Institute, 2009
“#1 labour pool ^ASSUA,” Martin Prosperity Institute, 2009
“#1 technology pool ^ASSUA,” Martin Prosperity Institute, 2009
“#1 employer for creators and researchers ^ASSUA,” Martin Prosperity Institute, 2009
“#1 for openness and tolerance ^ASSUA,” Martin Prosperity Institute, 2009
“#3 world’s best awards,” Travel + Leisure, 2009
“#6 best tourist destinations in North America,” Condé Nast Traveler magazine, 2009
“#6 best place to invest in Canada,” Site Selection Magazine 2009
“#13 (Lévis) and #21 (Quebec City) in Canada’s Best Places to Live (ranking of 154 cities),” Money Sense, 2009
“#2 city (Lévis) for business,” Canadian Business, September 2008
“#3 for economic vitality in 2007,” Conference Board, 2008
“#1 for quality of life in North America,” fDi magazine, 2007
“Research community of the year,” Research Infosource, 2007
“#10 (Lévis) safest city in Canada,” Macleans, 2008
“#9 (Lévis) in the ranking of 4,700 cities and communities studied on the basis of progress in the composite learning index (CLI)”

POLE promotes the QCA region’s economic successes in a variety of international markets, primarily the U.S. and Western Europe. We also assist foreign subsidiaries undertaking modernization and expansion projects, in addition to providing support for various major groundbreaking initiatives (link to section investisseur).

Distinctive attributes

The QCA region has gained distinction for four key attributes: innovation, economic prosperity, skilled workers and quality of life.

These distinctive attributes are driven by human qualities such as innovativeness, ingenuity and intelligence.
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Intelligence: the hallmark of the QCA region

A word, an impression, an image!

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