MMCQ demands dedicated manufacturing minister in Quebec

Ahead of the provincial general elections on October 5, the Manufacturiers Mauricie/Centre-du-Québec (MMCQ) has submitted a memorandum calling for the manufacturing industry to be recognized as a national economic priority. A central demand is the creation of a dedicated ministerial position for the sector to ensure it has a clear political voice, similar to the tourism industry.

In the memorandum, MMCQ board chair Dany Caron noted that while the sector supports employment, exports, and innovation, its relative economic weight has been eroding. Data from 2024 shows the Quebec manufacturing sector contributed $55 billion to the GDP and supported 439,000 jobs, yet its share of total provincial employment fell to an average of 11.2% between 2022 and 2024.

The organization also proposed several measures to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), including:

• Relaxing eligibility thresholds for the ESSOR program, administered by Investissement Québec, to better accommodate smaller manufacturers. • Establishing predictable timelines for financial aid, specifically requesting a response within 60 days and an initial payment within 90 days. • Facilitating professional mobility for immigrant workers already residing in Quebec. • Designating the Mauricie and Centre-du-Québec regions as pilot territories to test an integrated regional model for supporting manufacturing productivity.