Plan Nord (meaning 'Plan North' in English) is an economic development strategy launched by the government of Quebec in May 2011 to develop the natural resources extraction sector in the part of Quebec to the north of the 49th parallel.
[1] The proposed plan, which has been described as "a potential centrepiece" of Premier Jean Charest's political legacy, has received the full support of the mining industry, the Crees and Inuit representatives but has been met with scepticism and downright opposition by the Innus and most environmentalists.
[2] The territory covered by Plan Nord includes all of Quebec north of the 49th parallel and the Gulf of Saint Lawrence.
The 1,200,000 km2 (463,000 sq mi) area includes the Nord-du-Québec region as well as the northern part of Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean and most of Côte-Nord.
The Plan Nord territory is 320,000 km2 (120,000 sq mi) of boreal forest, drawing protests from Innu First Nations members.