Transportation systems provide essential support for the pursuit of all economic activities. In fact, they make it possible for people to travel and goods to move throughout Québec and beyond its borders, thus giving Québec a place in the world economy. In the current context of market globalization and the stiff competition facing Québec businesses today, the presence of efficient, dependable, and safe transportation systems represents a considerable asset for the Québec economy.
Overall, it is estimated that transportation-related final demand in Québec (i.e. total purchases related to the purchase of transportation goods and services) represents 12 per cent (1997) of the value of the gross domestic product. Québec households spend an average of 12 per cent (1996) of their budget on transportation-related goods and services.
Furthermore, Québec has over 270,000 employees working in the transportation and related industries (wholesale or retail sale of vehicles, parts and fuel, transportation vehicle and equipment manufacturing, etc.), i.e. 10 per cent of Québec's total employed labour force. The transportation and warehousing industry alone has over 112,000 employees (1998).
The Québec economy distinguishes itself by its degree of openness to the rest of the world. In fact, Québec's foreign trade (interprovincial and international) accounted for 53 per cent of its gross domestic product (GDP) (1995). Between 1990 and 1996, Québec's international exports rose from $24.3 billion to $46.3 billion, representing an increase of 90.6 per cent, while exports to the other Canadian provinces dropped from $22.6 to $21.8 billion, or 3.3 per cent. During this same period, the United States' share of Québec's total foreign exports rose from 74.8 per cent to 81 per cent. In 1998, this share rose even higher, to 83.6 per cent.
This major increase in Québec's foreign trade with the United States is attributable to the coming into force of the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement, or FTA (1989), and the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA (1994), the drop in the value of Canadian currency relative to the American dollar, and to the vigour of the American economy.
More generally speaking, the Ministère studies the links between passenger and goods transportation and economic activity. It also looks particularly closely at the long-term growth prospects of the Québec economy and transportation demands. This thought process is aimed at supporting and enhancing the Ministère's planning process.
