As gateway to the western region, the Kamouraska RCM has taken advantage of the great agricultural land on the vast St. Lawrence plain and the piedmont’s plateau which together represent more than 25% of its area. The deeply-rooted values of the people of this part of the Lower St. Lawrence include a strong sense of history and cultural heritage, a relationship with the land and an openness towards the rest of the world. These values have given rise to the development of internationally recognized fields of competence.

For example, this region is not only considered the agrobiological hub of the Lower St. Lawrence, it is also a cornerstone of research, development and technology transfer in the agri-food industry, boasting such institutes as the Institut de technologie agroalimentaire du Québec, La Pocatière Campus (ITA), the Centre d'expertise en production ovine du Québec (CEPOQ), the Centre québécois d’expertise en production porcine (CQEPP) and the Centre de développement bioalimentaire du Québec (CDBQ).

The region is also known world-wide in the field of transportation equipment production thanks to the presence of the Bombardier Transportation plant in La Pocatière. In addition to its economic foundations, the Kamouraska RCM has also made significant advances in developing a leather industry as well as a cultural heritage and outdoor tourism industry.

The RCM is divided into 17 municipalities, with a total population of 22,662 people (January 2004), that cover an area of 2,256 square kilometres.

Name origins: In Amerindian language, Kamouraska means “the place where there are rushes”.

Last Update : 2005-02-25 | Printable version