An IP Zone is an area delimited to serve industrial purposes; it is located close to port services as well as road and rail infrastructure. Such proximity represents a significant comparative advantage for businesses, especially for the processing industry, as it provides easier access to inputs and adequate distribution of produced goods to North American and international markets. It is a key territory, essential to Quebec’s economic vitality.
The relocation of the Port of Saguenay’s port facilities, from downtown Chicoutimi to Grande-Anse in the 1980s, was motivated by the idea of creating a vast industrial-port area remote from urban areas.
Through its participation in the development of the industrial-port zone of Saguenay, the Quebec Government aims to “promote the implementation of manufacturing investment projects to create jobs and increase the value of Quebec exports, in a perspective of sustainable development.”