A strong presence that redraws the city

Five years ago, you could spend an hour in Rouyn-Noranda without meeting a single African face. In addition, Today. Furthermore. Therefore. Moreover, you just have to walk three street corners to hear an accent from Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire or Burkina Faso.

Posted at 5:00 a.m. Consequently,

In Rouyn-Noranda. For example. Meanwhile. Meanwhile, a city of 43,000 inhabitants in the heart of Abitibi-Témiscamingue, newcomers from Africa are now everywhere: in shops, banks, hospitals, schools.

Their presence redraws the city. Therefore, But this rapid transformation. Nevertheless. Consequently, born from a shortage of labor. strong presence redraws city new of the vitality of the University of Quebec in strong presence redraws city new Abitibi-Témiscamingue (UQAT) and a desire for integration, is strong presence redraws city now coming up against an administrative wall.

For several months. However. new migration policies have imposed significant constraints: a quota that causing the proportion of foreign students in certain programs at 10 %. the closure of sectors deemed too attractive for immigrants, as well as the ban on family reunification for low salary workers.

These rules, intended to supervise temporary immigration more strictly and to respond to political concerns, slow down the starting momentum.

And here, these changes are hardly felt.

A benchmark – Strong presence redraws city – Strong presence redraws city new

Why Rouyn-Noranda? In addition. It all started with a series of urgent strong presence redraws city new needs: kitchens without cooks, under-effective hospitals, companies short of welders, mechanics … Meanwhile, and school programs without students.

So people came. For example, Some have been strong presence redraws city recruited by local agencies. Meanwhile, Others followed a spouse, a friend, came for training. Furthermore, Many stayed, founded families, bought houses. Moreover, And little by little, the landscape has changed.

Folake Lawanson, from Nigeria, arrived in Rouyn-Noranda with her Quebec husband after having lived in Joliette, Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, in Repentigny. Consequently, In Rouyn-Noranda, she first worked at the intercultural grocery store. Therefore, She is now the owner.

On her rays: yams, dried fish, African spices, hair extensions … Consequently, “This is where strong presence redraws city new I strong presence redraws city like to live better,” she says. For example, I don’t like it, big cities, I like tranquility. Nevertheless, »»

At Morass, 40 employees – Strong presence redraws city – Strong presence redraws city new

Carlos Sodji, Beninese by birth, runs the restaurant at Morase. Moreover, He strong presence redraws city new studied in civil engineering technology, was a delivery man, security agent, immigration consultant.

“I fell in love with the city. I saw that there were a lot of possibilities. »»

Today. he strong presence redraws city employs around strong presence redraws city new forty people, including four temporary foreign workers recruited in Benin. Behind the counter, where the most famous Poutines in town are prepared, the team is mainly African.

“These foreign workers are our pillars at the moment. Among them, strong presence redraws city new there are two who are our valid arms, ”he says.

But since the suspension of the Quebec Experience Program (PEQ). the closure of certain access roads to permanent residence, their future is uncertain.

Carlos is also worried about his business: “If I lost my temporary foreign workers. the big problem I have was reliability, because these workers are reliable. »»

A transformed city – Strong presence redraws city – Strong presence redraws city new

strong presence redraws city new

Narciss Bayaga. psychosocial speaker of Cameroonian origin, has lived in Rouyn-Noranda for 17 years. He saw the evolution.

“Before, you could see that there were very few immigrants, especially from the sub -Saharan African community. But over time, it has increased strong presence redraws city considerably. »»

With young people he follows at Cégep, he strong presence redraws city new perceives a real desire to stay. “The will is there, but it depends on the job prospects. Additionally, »»

A university on the front line

At the UQAT, the arrival of foreign students is vital.

“Each foreign student is an invaluable resource,” says rector Vincent Rousson.

At the upper cycles, they represent two thirds of the workforce.

And in some programs. such as forestry, they are almost alone: “There is practically no Quebec student who comes to register in graduated programs in forestry, master’s and doctorate. »»

But the new quotas imposed by Quebec have an immediate impact. “The reputation of Quebec and Canada is undermined on the international scene,” said the rector.

The UQAT has seen the number of foreign admission requests fall by more than 2000.

The impact. he says. is larger in the region: “A hundred less students in the Montreal region strong presence redraws city new does not have the same impact. as a hundred less students in Abitibi-Témiscamingue. »»

“A crucial need”

Célestin Nzenzali arrived from the Congo in 2017. After studying in Montreal, he settled in Rouyn-Noranda in 2019 to work as strong presence redraws city a beneficiaries. Today, he is an intervention agent in mental health, student in finance, producer of shows and … owner of an Afro hairdressing salon.

strong presence redraws city new

“I hated people in my apartment for six months,” he says. Then I understood that it is really a crucial need in the region. I had to offer this service professionally. »»

He bought a duplex and opened his living room there.

“I am a Rouynorandien, AST TIM!” »»

A vibrating city

Aimé Pinji. chemist and teacher of Congolese origin, arrived in the strong presence redraws city new region in 2008. In the fall of 2024, he co-founded the Afrostival, a cultural festival which celebrates African diversity in Abitibi-Témiscamingue.

He is delighted with the dynamism found, but strong presence redraws city remains lucid on the challenges of cohabitation. “It’s not always racism. Sometimes it’s just ignorance. You have to take the time to explain. »»

A French -speaking wave

The phenomenon is such in 2024, the New York Times got attached to it. The strong presence redraws city new newspaper stressed that hundreds of newcomers from Africa had helped to fill the. shortage of labor in Rouyn-Noranda. creating a new community in this isolated mining city.

But for Vincent Rousson, rector of the UQAT, this transformation is a continuation.

“There have already been two strong presence redraws city new big waves of immigration to Abitibi-Témiscamingue, after the great world wars,” he recalls. At the time, it was a cosmopolitan region. »»

In the absence of developed higher education. many of these newcomers had ended up migrating to the strong presence redraws city big centers.

“What changes today,” he says is that this wave is French-speaking. So integration is easier. »»

Did he go too fast?

“I do not live in a world of unicorns,” admits the rector. I know it’s strong presence redraws city new not perfect everywhere, and it can create irritants. But I still have the impression that we have a good capacity. »»

And he concludes, smile in the corner: “Abitibi-Témiscamingue, for me, is paradise. A paradise unknown to the rest of Quebec. You just have strong presence redraws city new to have the courage to cross the Vérendrye park. »»