KPMG's Competitive Alternatives Study 2014 -Greater Montréal offers the most competitive operating costs in North America

MONTRÉAL, March 28, 2014 /CNW Telbec/ - Ms. Dominique Anglade, President and CEO of Montréal International (MI), welcomes the latest ranking by KPMG placing Greater Montréal in the top spot among the most competitive metropolises in North America (excluding Mexico) for operating costs.

The Competitive Alternatives 2014 study shows that the Montréal metropolitan region has operating costs, for all sectors, that are 8.0% lower than the United States, beating out 33 other Canadian and U.S. cities with populations of at least two million people.

"Greater Montréal's cost advantage jumped from 5.7% in 2012, to 8.0% in 2014, which is largely due to a weaker Canadian dollar. We definitely need to leverage this advantage, as competitive operating costs are one of the key factors considered by foreign investors looking for a site, in addition to access to the market and workforce availability," explained Dominique Anglade.

This cost advantage varies significantly from sector to sector: "The Montréal metropolitan region stands out with specific tax credits, especially for the video game industry (23.5%), software design (16.0%), R&D (18.6%) and international financial services (20.6%). This notable advantage enhances Greater Montréal's attractiveness for strategic activity sectors in its knowledge-intensive industries," added Ms. Anglade.

"We are seeing increased convergence of operating costs between industrialized nations, thus incentives have become a crucial decision factor for businesses considering where to set up," concluded Ms. Anglade.

The Competitive Alternatives study provides a detailed comparative analysis to help organizations decide where to locate their operations. The study compares 26 cost factors over a 10-year period for 131 cities in 10 countries. A country's cost advantage is based on the average costs in the largest cities in each country.

About Montréal International (www.montrealinternational.com)
Created in 1996, Montréal International (MI) is the result of a private-public partnership. Its mission is to contribute to the economic development of Greater Montréal and enhance its international status. Its mandates include attracting foreign direct investments, international organizations and international strategic workers as well as promoting the competitive and international environment of Greater Montréal. Montréal International—a non-profit organization—is funded by the private sector, the governments of Canada and Québec, the Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal (Montréal Metropolitan Community) and the City of Montréal.

Since its creation, Montréal International has helped to attract $10.6 billion in foreign direct investments to Greater Montréal. From these investments, 52,000 jobs have been created or maintained. To date, MI's activities have also allowed almost half of some 60 international organizations to establish themselves in the city and attract and retain more than 9,000 international strategic workers.

SOURCE: Montréal International

Céline Clément, Communications Advisor, Montréal International, Tel.: [phone], Cell: 514 892-4030, [email protected]