EECHO ICC investment intelligence
Compare provinces and territories
Compare up to three jurisdictions. Dates and source limitations remain visible so a missing field is not mistaken for a zero or a negative result.
| Comparison field |  Alberta |  Ontario |  Quebec |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 5,057,077 | 16,103,890 | 9,016,222 |
| Labour force | 2,872.2 thousand (monthly, seasonally adjusted, July 2026) | 8,930.5 thousand (monthly, seasonally adjusted, July 2026) | 4,879.2 thousand (monthly, seasonally adjusted, July 2026) |
| Minimum wage | $15.00/hour | $17.60/hour | $16.60/hour |
| Provincial corporate tax — general | 8% | 11.5% | 11.5% |
| Provincial corporate tax — small business | 2% | 3.2% | 2.2% |
| Sales-tax structure | GST 5% | HST 13% | GST 5% + QST 9.975% |
| Leading industries | Energy (oil & gas), Agriculture, Forestry, Technology | Manufacturing (automotive), Finance, Technology, Agri-food | Aerospace, Manufacturing, Hydroelectric power, Technology (AI, gaming), Agri-food |
| Emerging industries | Clean technology, Artificial intelligence, Hydrogen | Electric vehicles, Artificial intelligence, Life sciences | Battery materials, Artificial intelligence, Aerospace decarbonization |
| Port access | Inland; rail and road access to British Columbia ports | Great Lakes and St. Lawrence access | Direct St. Lawrence ocean-shipping access |
| U.S. market access | Direct road, rail and pipeline links to the United States | Multiple high-volume border crossings | Multiple land crossings to northeastern states |
| Energy profile | Large oil, gas and electricity sector with growing renewable and hydrogen activity | Large, diverse grid led by nuclear and hydroelectricity | Hydroelectric-dominant, low-carbon electricity system |
| Major incentives | Review Invest Alberta and federal business-support directories | Review Invest Ontario and federal directories | Review Investissement Québec and federal directories |
| Key opportunities | Energy transition, Agri-food processing, Technology scale-up | EV supply chain, Advanced manufacturing, Financial and technology services | Battery supply chain, Aerospace, AI and digital technology |
| Factors to evaluate | Commodity exposure, Water and infrastructure needs, Municipal permitting | High costs in major centres, Electricity and site requirements, Competitive labour market | French-language compliance, Sector-specific incentives, Labour and construction constraints |
| Last verified | 2026-08-22 | 2026-08-22 | 2026-08-22 |
EECHO analysis based on the cited sources. Based on the selected priorities, these jurisdictions may warrant further investigation. This comparison does not identify a definitive winner and is not investment, legal or tax advice.