Québec, November 1, 2023. – The Institut de la statistique du Québec published today the 15th edition of the Panorama des régions du Québec, a reference work that provides a set of statistics on Québec’s administrative regions and regional county municipalities (RCMs). Covering over a dozen themes, the publication offers a social, economic and cultural overview of the province. A statistical portrait of each region completes the 2023 edition.
Homeownership rate down in almost all regions
In 2021, the proportion of Québec households who owned their homes—or the homeownership rate—was 60%, but it varied considerably from region to region. The regions of Montréal and Nord-du-Québec had a much lower ownership rate than other regions (40% and 36% respectively). Conversely, homeownership was over 70% in Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Lanaudière and Chaudière-Appalaches. That said, between 2016 and 2021, the homeownership rate decreased in all regions except in Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean, where no statistical difference was detected.
Disparities in housing affordability
In Québec, nearly one out of six households lives in unaffordable housing, meaning that these households spend 30% or more of their total income on shelter costs. Proportionally, more households live in unaffordable housing in the Montréal and Laval regions.
University graduation rate up, proportion of people with no diploma down
From 2016 to 2021, the proportion of 25–64-year-olds in Québec who have a university degree or diploma increased by 4 percentage points. At the same time, the proportion of people without any certificate, degree or diploma declined in all regions except for Nord-du-Québec.
The regions with the highest increases in the proportion of people with a university degree were Montréal, Laval, Capitale-Nationale, Outaouais, Montérégie and Estrie. Meanwhile, the Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Estrie and Abitibi-Témiscamingue regions saw the biggest decreases in the proportion of 25–64-year-olds without any diploma.
GDP growth in all regions in 2021
Following the economic shock of the pandemic in 2020, GDP grew in all administrative regions in 2021. The biggest percentage point increase was seen in the Côte-Nord region, largely due to the strength of the mining sector.
Job vacancies up in most regions
The number of job vacancies increased in nine regions in 2022. Five regions recorded at least 2,000 more job vacancies than the previous year, including Montréal (+10,800) and Montérégie (+4,800).
From 2021 to 2022, the job vacancy rate increased slightly for Québec as a whole, landing at 5.8%. Three regions had significantly higher vacancy rates than the rest of the province: Capitale-Nationale (7.0%), Laurentides (6.5%) and Montérégie (6.0%).
Occupancy rates for tourist accommodations nearly back to pre-pandemic levels in 2022
In 2022, several regions had significantly higher occupancy rates in their tourist accommodations, including Montréal, Laval, Québec, Outaouais and Montérégie. Of these regions, however, only Montérégie recorded an occupancy rate similar to that seen before the health crisis—a sign that many regions still have much catching up to do, despite the encouraging growth seen in 2022.
An overview of RCMs
Some RCMs located on the periphery of Montréal, Gatineau and Sherbrooke saw sharp increases in the value of single-family homes, as well as significant population growth. This was the case for La Rivière-du-Nord in the Laurentides region, La Vallée-de-la-Gatineau in Outaouais, and Memphrémagog in Estrie. In these RCMs, the value of single-family homes rose over 30%, compared to 20.3% in Québec as a whole (based on 2022 and 2023 municipal property assessment data, which reflect the changes in market conditions between July 2020 and July 2021).
Similarly, in 2022, strong demographic growth was seen in the Mirabel and Argenteuil RCMs in the Laurentides region, in Montcalm in Lanaudière, and in Les Collines-de-l’Outaouais in Outaouais. The growth rate was about 30 per thousand (or 3%) in 2021–2022.
See also
Read the full report (PDF, 20 Mo)
Read the regional statistical portraits
The Institut de la statistique du Québec produces, analyzes and disseminates official, objective and quality statistical information on various aspects of Québec society. It is responsible for conducting all statistical surveys of general interest. The relevance of its work makes it a strategic ally for decision makers and all those who wish to know more about Québec.