All the pieces of the puzzle are starting to take place in the region for an announcement to be made in connection with the establishment of an innovation pole that the government of François Legault wants to establish in certain regions of Quebec.
© Sylvain Roy Roussel / Radio-Canada
The Minister of the Economy, Pierre Fitzgibbon.
In interview at Always in the morning, Pierre Fitzgibbon, Minister of the Economy and Innovation and Minister responsible for Regional Economic Development, affirmed that two elements must be met for such an announcement to be made.
Mr. Fitzgibbon recalls that we first need money from the private sector and also the support of knowledge institutions.»
With the already confirmed presence of Nouveau Monde Graphite and Nemaska Lithium in the Bécancour industrial park, which want to produce high quality components for batteries, as well as the commitment of the University of Quebec at Trois-Rivières, everything seems in place for an imminent announcement.
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The creation of innovation zones of international caliber is part of the strategy developed by François Legault in a book published in 2013, Focus on a winning Quebec.
Some regions have already obtained this name, such as the future East Coast Innovation Zone in Quebec City and the Haut-Richelieu Public and Civil Security Innovation Zone.
These administrative structures aim to promote innovation, exports, local and foreign investments as well as business productivity.
In addition, Minister Fitzgibbon refuses to comment on rumors that the current vice-president of the Industrial and Port Park of Bécancour Maurice Richard is retiring and that he be replaced by the CAQ member for Nicolet-Bécancour Donald Martel.
He claims to have never heard of that and it is up to the industrial park’s board of directors to make recommendations which will be submitted to the Council of Ministers thereafter. We don’t make political appointments.»