Economic Indicators:
• According to Statistics Canada, Québec’s median family income (two persons or more) in 2006 was $51 800 (after-tax market income). Median government transfers was $6 700 and median income taxes was $8 200.

• According to a survey by the Institut de la statistique du Québec, at the end of 2007, the value of the investment portfolio under management by Québec’s securities retail brokerage industry was $67.7 billion in equities (45.5%), $36.2 billion in bonds (24.3%), $23.2 billion in mutual funds (15.6%), liquidities and money market products valued at $12.5 billion (8.4%), guaranteed investment certificates at $6.2 billion (4.2%), and the category "other assets" with $3.1 billion (2.1%).

Québec’s securities retail brokerage services revolved around 25 companies in Québec. Ten companies offered full-service and discount or online brokerage while five were active in only one of these two lines of service.

Real Estate:
• According to GVA Devencore, Montréal’s Category A office vacancy rate fell to 3.7% in the 4th quarter of 2007 from 7.1% in 2006.

• According to the Greater Montréal Real Estate Board, home re-sales rose 1% in April to a monthly record of 5 172 units.

• According to the CMHC, the value of non-residential building permits issued across Québec in March rose 32.4% to $352.1 million (over February/seasonally adjusted).

• Les Affaires reports that Salvatore Iacono has acquired a fifth property in the vicinity of the Bell Centre. Mr. Iacono has acquired a 16 800 sq. ft. property on St. Antoine for $8 million.

Contracts:
• CAE has signed $60 million of contracts with clients including Lufthansa Flight Training, Swiss Aviation Training & Zhuhai Flight Training for the delivery for flight simulators in 2009.

Acquisitions:
• In its second deal in as many weeks, Couche-Tard has expanded an agreement with Irving Oil to provide a convenience store at 252 additional Irving gasoline stations in Atlantic Canada & New England.

• Laval-based Pro Hockey Life Sporting Goods has acquired the Sports L.G.L. outlets in Québec City and Chicoutimi.

Source: Forum Action Québec & PIRA Communications.