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Article Excerpt
Abstracts
J. F. DE LIMA: "Notes on Growth Poles and Territorial Strategies in Quebec". [ >.] This research note proposes general ideas on the polarization and the reinforcement of regional poles as an alternative in order to instigate the economic growth of different areas in Quebec.
The analysis Quebec's experiment shows, in terms of the structure of occupation of space, that the territorial strategies are focussed mainly on demographic problems. Consequently, in spite of a polycentric structure of production and resource exploitation, the dynamics of Quebec's is, still today, dependent on a monocentric industrial dynamism. The cycle of the growth of the territories within Quebec starts when the centre (Montreal and Quebec) or exports remain the king pin of the process of growth. In short, there is a very strong tendency for demographic growth to occur in the central cities.
Indeed, the territories develop different strategies according to their potentials, their trajectories and their weaknesses. Public intervention can contribute through two strategies: 1) reinforcement of the production and agri-food transformation; 2) the creation of a policy of subsidies for the formation of the various bases of export in Quebec's peripheral areas.
In relation to the first strategy, according to growth pole theory (Perroux), regional economies are instigated by distribution, and integration of the markets and processing and manufacturing of resources. In Quebec, the issue is whether growth of production and income is able to lead to a diversification of the productive activities, in order to be able create a more sustainable pattern of territorial development. These problems are at the origin of the absence of an effective public policy for the location of productive activities, the occupation of geographic space and the stimulation of rurality.
In relation to the second strategy, it is possible to work with the improvement of the local productive activities, by establishing strategies such as the creation of business incubators, the formation of industrial districts, labour qualifications, the formation of information networks, and the formation of partnerships, to name but a few. Accordingly, we should establish political differences in tax exemptions in industrial investment, extending them to some areas and thus encouraging integration with rural production and with other productive activities. Furthermore in relation to rural production, it should be noticed that small and medium-sized businesses have an important role to play in job creation. It should be recalled that the principal objective is not to set up only one alternative model, but to develop alternative forms of State intervention in different territories.
It is important to refer to the social policy of well-being, which increased the quality of life in Quebec. This policy must always be preserved. The durability of this type of policy is possible only thanks to the generation of the taxes and revenues.
Resumes
J. F. DE LIMA: >. Cette note de recherche propose des reflexions generales sur la polarisation et le renforcement des poles regionaux comme une alternative afin de dynamiser la croissance economique des regions au Quebec. L'analyse de l'experience au Quebec demontre, dans la structure d'occupation de l'espace, que les strategies territoriales sont fondees principalement sur les problemes demographiques. En consequence, malgre une structure polycentrique de production et d'exploitation des ressources, la dynamique de la croissance quebecoise est, encore aujourd'hui, dependante d'un dynamisme industriel monocentriste. Le cycle de la croissance des territoires a l'interieur du Quebec commence lorsque le centre (Montreal et Quebec) ou les exportations demeurent en processus de croissance. Bref, il y a une tendance tres forte dans la croissance demographique des villes centrales.
En effet, les territoires developpent des strategies differentes selon leurs potentiels, leurs trajectoires, leurs faiblesses. Apres enumeration de cette caracteristique, il pourra y avoir l'intervention de l'etat et des concertations locales. Afin de repondre a ce besoin, l'intervention publique peut contribuer au travers de deux strategies : La premiere strategie est le renforcement de la production et de la transformation agro-alimentaire. La deuxieme strategie est la creation d'une politique de subventions pour la formation des differentes bases d'exportation aux regions peripheriques quebecoises.
Par rapport a la premiere strategie, d'apres la theorie des poles (Perroux), les economies regionales sont dynamisees par les activites de transformation, de distribution, d'integration des marches et d'exploitation des bassins des ressources. Au Quebec, la problematique qui se pose est de savoir si la croissance du produit et du revenu est capable de conduire a une diversification des activites productives, afin d'etre capable d'etablir la durabilite du dynamisme territorial. Cette problematique est a l'origine de l'absence d'une politique publique efficace des localisation des activites productives, d'occupation d'espace et de stimulation de la ruralite.
Par rapport a la deuxieme strategie, il est possible de travailler a l'amelioration des activites productives locales, en etablissant des strategies telles que la creation d'incubateurs d'entreprises, de la formation de districts industriels, de la qualification de la main-d'oeuvre, de la formation...
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