The Contributions of Natural Resources to the Economic Growth of Quebec

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THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF NATURAL RESOURCES TO THE ECONOMIC GROWTH OF QUEBEC
Quebec is a province in Canada that has been noted for the presence of natural resources in abundance. Natural resources are items that occur naturally in the environment, and they can be used for commercial purposes. Resources are divided into two, natural and human-made. Human-made are made available by the actions of man but natural, they are just there naturally without human intervention. They include minerals, air, and gases, water, physical features like hills, trees, etc. in most cases, natural resources are owned by public, and they are utilized for the benefit of the countries, state, province, or counties in which they are found in. Quebec has plenty of natural resources that have made the region have an economic advantage.[Natcher, David, et al. Normalizing Aboriginal subsistence economies in the Canadian North. Vol. 10. Gap Analysis Report, 2016.]
Figure 1: A graphical representation of the development of the mining sector in Quebec and the prices of minerals per unit
Natural Resources in Quebec
Some of the natural resources in Quebec include; forests, minerals, vast agricultural land, wildlife, fish, wind energy, hydroelectricity, rivers, and lakes. Most of these resources are renewable which means they cannot be exhausted especially when adequately utilized. However, despite this fact, the province also faces issues of overexploitation of forests, which is a threat to the environment. Quebec’s economy has greatly benefitted from the vast natural resources being a significant source of income. Below is an analysis of some of the natural resources available in Quebec and how they are beneficial to the province’s economy.
* Minerals
Mining is one of the most prominent economic activities in Quebec, making up to over 50% of the province’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Mined goods making over 60% of Canada’s exports with the most coming from the region. The region is a producer of over 30 minerals with titanium, stone, gold, copper, zinc, and iron being the most prominent. Quebec, as of 2010 was the largest producer of zinc in all of Canada. The province alone has approximately 30 mines, over 200 exploration companies, and many processing industries. Canada’s economy over the years has thrived over minerals. Quebec is a significant source for minerals in the country can be attributed to the economic impact it has experienced from mining activities.[Pasquier, Louis-César, et al. "Technical & economic evaluation of a mineral carbonation process using southern Québec mining wastes for CO2 sequestration of raw flue gas with by-product recovery." International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control 50 (2016): 147-157.]
Figure 2: A pie chart showing most common minerals in Quebec
* Forest cover
Canadian forest is well known for the economic impact that it has on the country’s manufacturing sector. It accounted for about 7.2% of the country’s exports as of 2017. Forestry is lower compared to other natural resources. However, it still accounts for a large percentage of the country’s GDP. Ontario and Quebec have the most significant forest resources accounting for about 52% of the total forest resources as of 2017. Over 90% of forests in Quebec are public-owned, meaning they contribute directly towards the economy of the province. Quebec’s forest cover occupies more than half of its total land. Products from the forests include pulp, paper, and lumber.
* Agricultural land
Quebec’s agricultural land since pre-colonial times has been a significant contributor to the province’s economy. Fertile land, together with conducive weather, has always led to high yields of foodstuffs that have been used locally and sold outside the region and exported outside Canada. However, with industrialization, urbanization and the continued exploitation of natural resources the yields are not as high, but agriculture still plays a significant role in the country’s economy. Quebec is home to over 5.6% of Canadian agricultural land hence a considerable producer of crops.[Mundler, Patrick, and Sophie Laughrea. "The contributions of short food supply chains to territorial development: A study of three Quebec territories." Journal of Rural Studies 45 (2016): 218-229.]
* Water areas
Over 21% of Quebec’s land is occupied by both salty and freshwater lakes and rivers. These natural resources p...