How do Québec businesses continue to adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic in the second quarter of 2021 and how do they see the future? 

The pandemic that marked the year 2020 and the beginning of 2021 has made it necessary to update the Québec population projections published in 2019. 

The value of production in the audiovisual industry in Québec stood at $2.4 billion in 2019-2020 (April 1, 2019 to March 31, 2020), up for a fourth consecutive year. This is an increase of 17% from the previous year and of 54% from 2015-2016.

 In 16 of Québec’s 17 regions, non-residential tangible capital expenditure intentions for 2021 were higher than for 2020. 

The showcase presents statistical information according to various indicators based on the objectives of the Secrétariat à la jeunesse's 2021-2024 Youth Action Plan.

In May 2021, there were 4,219,300 people employed in Québec (-8,000; -0.2% from the previous month). The unemployment rate remained unchanged at 6.6%.

The Institut de la statistique du Québec estimates that there were 81,850 births in Québec in 2020. This is a decrease of almost 3% from 2019 (84,300). 

An update on research and development (R&D) in Québec in 2018 based on the most recent data released at the provincial level by Statistics Canada.

After 12 months of the pandemic, the GDP level had almost returned to its February 2020 level: it was about at 99% of that level.

Québec’s seasonally adjusted international merchandise exports in constant dollars were up 3.1% in March from February 2021.

In April 2021, employment was down in Québec (-13,300; -0.3% from the previous month). The unemployment rate edged up 0.2 percentage points to 6.6%.

In 2020, the Québec labour market was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic: 275,000 payroll jobs paid less than $20 an hour were lost. At the same time, 105,000 jobs paid 30$ an hour or more were added. 

Did you know that 22% of the province’s land area is made up of water? That the average age of Quebecers is 42.6 years? Or that the household savings rate was 18.4% in Québec in 2020?

There were 23,100 fewer people employed in Québec than in the last quarter of 2020, and 133,000 fewer than in the last quarter of 2019.

In December 2020, there were 8,085 business openings in Québec, versus 6,789 closures.

As a result, the GDP level in January 2021 was about 98% of the level in February 2020.

Québec’s seasonally adjusted international merchandise exports in constant dollars were down 3.6% in February 2021 from January. 

In March 2021, employment was up in Québec (+25,900; +0.6% from the previous month). The unemployment rate remained stable at 6.4%. 

The Institut de la statistique du Québec is releasing today an analysis of the results from the Québec portion of the Canadian Survey on Business Conditions (CSBC), fourth edition.

This study will follow more than 4,000 babies born in Québec in 2020-2021 until they reach adulthood. These children and their families, selected by the Institut, will come from all over Québec.

An analysis of variable pay plans in Québec businesses with 200 or more employees and municipalities with populations of 25,000 or more in 2018.

By December 2020, 10 out of 20 economic sectors had rebounded to or exceeded their February 2020 production levels, i.e. their levels before the start of the pandemic. On the other hand, in two sectors, the output level at the end of the year was less than 60% of that in February. 


The Institut de la statistique du Québec released today the highlights of an analysis of Québec’s international merchandise trade for 2020.

In the fourth quarter of 2020, Québec’s real gross domestic product (GDP) at market prices was up 1.5% from the previous quarter (+12.6% in the third quarter).

Québec’s population was estimated at 8,576,000 on January 1, 2021, up 19,300 from a year earlier. 

Québec’s seasonally adjusted international merchandise exports in constant dollars were down 1.4% in January 2021 from December 2020. 

Employment was up (+112,600; +2.7%) in Québec in February 2021 from January 2021. The unemployment rate declined by 2.4 percentage points in February to 6.4%.

Drug, alcohol and tobacco use, gambling, and playing games of chance are all on a downward trajectory among Québec secondary school students—a trend that’s been observed for a number of years now. Yet new youth-related public health issues are on the rise: vaping and drinking sugary alcoholic beverages. 

In all Québec companies with 200 or more employees combined, approximately 303,510 regular full-time employees work in a profession requiring a university education. Of them, 176,720 are women (58%). 

The Institut de la statistique du Québec today published the results of the 2018 economic vitality index of Québec localities and regional county municipalities (RCMs). 

In 2020, life expectancy at birth in Québec was 80.6 for men and 84.0 for women. That’s a drop of 0.4 years (5 months) and 0.7 years (8 months) respectively, compared to 2019.

The Institut de la statistique du Québec published today the Dashboard for measuring the green economy in Québec, which provides a series of 12 indicators organized around four themes: clean technologies, environmentally responsible business practices, green jobs and c.ircular economy.

Québec’s seasonally adjusted international merchandise exports in constant dollars were up 1.0% in December 2020 from the previous month. For 2020 as a whole, exports decreased by 8.5% from 2019. 

In November 2020, Québec’s real gross domestic product (GDP) at basic prices was up 0.6%, following a 0.4% decline in October.

In 2020, the Québec labour market was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to a net loss of 208,500 jobs. 

This publication provides a picture of the average number of days of vacation, statutory holidays and floating holidays and their cost as a percentage of average annual earnings. 

In the fourth quarter of 2020, there were 109,900 fewer people employed in Québec than in the last quarter of 2019, but 50,900 more than in the third quarter of 2020. 

Employment was down (-97,900; -2.3%) in Québec in January 2021 from December 2020. The unemployment rate rose 2.0 percentage points in January to 8.8%. 

The total number of deaths recorded in Québec in 2020 stands at 74,550 according to the Institut de la statistique du Québec’s preliminary estimate. There were 6,750 more deaths than in 2019, a 10% increase. 

This study provides a portrait of Québec’s international merchandise imports and exports in current dollars, on a customs basis. It approaches trade from the perspective of products and trading partners.

In October 2020, Québec’s real gross domestic product (GDP) at basic prices declined 0.5% (+1.2% in September). This decrease, after five consecutive monthly increases, coincides with the tightening of health measures in October due to the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic in Québec. 

Québec’s seasonally adjusted international merchandise exports in constant dollars were up 3.0% in November 2020 from the previous month.

Population growth has slowed in regions where large urban centres are located, particularly in the Montréal region. The Montréal region saw its population increase by just under 5,000 in 2019-2020, compared with nearly 37,000 in the previous year. Nevertheless, a majority of regions saw their population growth accelerate. 

The indicators analyzed in this bulletin confirm that the labour market was dynamic in Québec and in most regional county municipalities (RCMs) before the COVID-19 crisis hit the province.

Employment was little changed (-16,800; -0.4%) in Québec in December from November 2020. The unemployment rate declined 0.5 percentage points in December to 6.7%.

The combination of these two indicators provides a more complete picture of the pandemic’s effects on the Québec labour market.

In the third quarter of 2020, Québec’s real gross domestic product (GDP) at market prices was up 12.6% from the previous quarter (-11.9% in the second quarter). 

Compared to businesses with 100 to 499 employees, businesses with 1 to 4 employees benefit less from markets in the rest of Canada and internationally.

In the third quarter of 2020, there were 143,300 fewer people employed in Québec than in the fourth quarter of 2019.

Québec’s seasonally adjusted international merchandise exports in constant dollars were down 0.2% in October 2020 from the previous month (+4.7% in September). With this decline, the export level in October was 7.6% below that in February. 

The Institut de la statistique du Québec released today issue No. 68 of the Zoom santé bulletin entitled “Dans quel environnement évoluent les enfants du Québec qui vivent plus d’un type de violence familiale?”

The Institut de la statistique du Québec is releasing today the results of a special round of the Québec Longitudinal Study of Child Development (QLSCD).

Québec’s population increased by 110,000 people in 2019, which corresponds to a growth rate of 12.9 per thousand (1.29%). This is the highest rate since comparable results have been available (1972). 

In 2019, Québec horticulture receipts totalled $1.4 billion, a 4.9% increase from 2018.

Employment was little changed (+15,700; +0.4%) in Québec in November from October 2020. The unemployment rate declined 0.5 percentage points in November to 7.2%. These are the main highlights from Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey results released today.

The results of the Québec portion of the third edition of the Canadian Survey on Business Conditions (CSBC) provide insight into the extent of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Québec businesses as they resume their operations.

In August 2020, Québec’s real gross domestic product (GDP) at basic prices rose 1.2%, following a 3.4% increase in July. 

Every year, the Institut de la statistique du Québec compares the salaries and total compensation of Québec government employees with those of employees working in businesses with 200 or more employees in Québec.

In 2019, investment expenditures in the Québec mining sector declined by 8.5% to $2,978 million. According to intentions expressed by companies, in 2020, these expenditures should decrease again by 2.4% to $2,907 million.

Québec’s seasonally adjusted international merchandise exports in constant dollars were up 6.2% in September 2020 from the previous month (+2.3% in August).

The bulletin Optique culture No. 75 – La fréquentation des institutions muséales en 2018 et 2019 presents the latest annual results on the number of admissions to museums, exhibition centres and interpretations sites.

Based on the most recent data sources, this publication covers a variety of topics, including demography, employment, tourism, property values, and electric transportation.

Employment in Québec was down by 12,900 (-0.3%) in October from September 2020. The unemployment rate rose 0.3 percentage points in October to 7.7%.

According to intentions for 2020, non-residential tangible capital expenditure should total $41.7 billion in Québec, down 3.7% from 2019 ($43.3 billion).

The Institut de la statistique du Québec released today the Résultats de l’Enquête sur la rémunération globale au Québec for 2019.

In 2019, nearly 6% of seniors living at home in Québec reported having experienced at least one type of mistreatment in the previous 12 months, representing 78,900 people. 

Québec’s real gross domestic product (GDP) at basic prices was up 3.4% in July 2020, after rising 7.3% in June and 11.6% in May. Out of the 20 major sectors, 19 posted increases in July.

Québec’s seasonally adjusted international merchandise exports in constant dollars were up 2.7% in August 2020 from the previous month.

Employment in Québec was up by 76,700 (+1.8%) in September from August 2020. The unemployment rate declined by 1.3 percentage points in September to 7.4%.

The Québec service sector is strongly affected by the COVID-19 crisis. The current situation is quite different from what was observed from 2002 to 2019, when the service sector created 650,000 jobs.

The Institut de la statistique du Québec released today the fascicle Les ressources humaines en science et technologie, the second issue in the series Indicateurs de la science, de la  technologie et de l’innovation au Québec, édition 2020. It contains commented data on three groups of human resources in science and technology (HRST).

After two years of decline, the value of e-book sales by Québec businesses increased by 7% between 2018 and 2019 to $6.2 million. However, this value remains lower than in other previous years, for example in 2016, when the value of sales was $7.8 million.

In the second quarter of 2020, Québec’s real gross domestic product at market prices dropped 12.2% compared with the previous quarter (-2.7%), due to the measures put in place to limit the spread of COVID-19. Expressed at an annualized rate, real GDP fell 40.4%

Today, the Institut de la statistique du Québec released novel results from the Québec Survey of Child Development in Kindergarten (QSCDK) 2017. 

Québec’s seasonally adjusted international merchandise exports in constant dollars were up 0.1% in July 2020, following a 5.8% increase in June. Exports for the month of July remained 13.8% below their February 2020 level, before containment measures were put in place to limit the spread of COVID-19.

The Institut de la statistique du Québec released today the study Les titulaires d’un grade universitaire au Québec : ce qu’en disent les données du Recensement de 2016, along with study highlights.

In August 2020, employment was up 54,200 (+1.3%) in Québec from July 2020. The unemployment rate declined 0.8 percentage points in August to 8.7%. These are the main highlights of the employment and labour force data based on the results of Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey released today.

Québec’s real gross domestic product (GDP) at basic prices surged 10.9% in May 2020, after plummeting 14.8% in April. Numerous economic sectors posted growth. In total, 19 of the 20 major sectors increased production in May.

Québec’s international merchandise exports, seasonally adjusted and in constant dollars, posted a monthly increase of 6.1% in June 2020, after rising 4.2% in May. Despite the reopening of several sectors of Québec’s economy and its partners that were closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, June’s exports remain 14.1% below their February 2020 level.

The results of the second edition of the Canadian Survey on Business Conditions provide insight into the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on Québec businesses as they resume operations.

Compared to the same period last year (March to June), Québec’s economy lost some 450,000 jobs due to COVID-19—a 10% drop from 2019 when total employment was 4,327,500 jobs (average from March to June).

Québec recorded an increase of 97,600 jobs (+2.4%) in July 2020 compared to June 2020. The unemployment rate decreased by 1.2 percentage points in July to 9.5%.

In 2016, nearly 3 out of 10 Quebecers had a university certificate, diploma or degree. Women are more likely than men to achieve university-level education (33% vs. 26%) or college-level education (21% vs. 17%). Men, on the other hand, are proportionally more likely to have completed vocational training.

In April 2020, Québec's real gross domestic product (GDP) at basic prices fell 14.8%, following a 9.6% decline in March. All major sectors posted losses as the impact of COVID-19 intensified in April. 

After a historic drop of 18.0% in April, Québec’s international merchandise exports, seasonally adjusted and in constant dollars, increased 4.8% in May 2020. This recovery was facilitated by the partial reopening of several sectors of the economy that had been shut down in March and April due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2019, almost all (99.8 %) Québec businesses were SMEs, i.e. businesses with fewer than 500 employees, and more than half (53.0 %) had fewer than 5 employees. The latter group contributed the most to business and employment dynamics. 

In June 2020, employment was up 247,500 (+6.5%) in Québec from May 2020. The unemployment rate fell 3.0 percentage points in June to 10.7%.

In 2018–2019, the production value of Québec's audiovisual industry reached the $2 billion mark for the first time. This is a 7% increase from the previous year.

In the first quarter of 2020, real gross domestic product at market prices fell 2.7% in Québec compared with the previous quarter (+0.3%), due to the measures implemented to fight the spread of COVID-19.

In 2019, an estimated 22,250 marriages were celebrated in Québec, approximately 600 less than in the previous two years. The decline was observed in both opposite-sex and same-sex marriages.

The pandemic has brought its share of challenges and adjustments for Québec businesses. The Institut de la statistique du Québec is releasing today an analysis illustrating their situation in March 2020.

The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on international merchandise trade were particularly noticeable in April, when containment and distancing measures resulted in numerous production interruptions and business closures, as well as reduced demand for certain products.

Employment in Québec increased by 230,900 (+6.5%) in May 2020 compared with April 2020, while the unemployment rate decreased by 3.3 percentage points to 13.7%.

In 2018, Québec municipalities' operating expenditures on culture totalled $1,017 million, up 6.9% from 2016.

In 2019, Québec sales of sound recordings in equivalent album units totalled 3.6 million units, a 24% drop from 2018. This is the largest annual decline in 10 years.

In February 2020, Québec’s real gross domestic product (GDP) at basic prices fell 0.3%, following a 0.5% increase in January.

In response to increased interest in the evolution of the number of deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Institut de la statistique du Québec is releasing today a new series of tables on the weekly number of deaths from all causes in Québec.

Québec’s international merchandise exports, seasonally adjusted and in constant dollars, fell 5.4% in March 2020 from the previous month (+1.1% in February). These figures on international merchandise trade were released today by the Institut de la statistique du Québec.

In April 2020, employment was down 556,500 (-13.5%) in Québec from March 2020, while the unemployment rate rose 8.9 percentage points, standing at 17.0%.

The initial estimates indicate that real GDP in March has declined by about 10% due to the economic disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic, compared to a situation without a pandemic.

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Newsroom

Expectations of Québec businesses for the second quarter of 2021

Towards a population of 10 million people in Québec by 2066

New high for Québec’s audiovisual industry production in 2019-2020

Investments expected to increase in 16 of Québec’s administrative regions in 2021

New statistical showcase on Québec youth

Results from the Labour Force Survey for Québec in May 2021

Births declined in Québec in 2020, but increased gradually in the first months of 2021

Research and development

Québec’s real GDP at basic prices up 1.1% in February 2021

Québec’s international merchandise exports up 3.1% in March 2021