Discover Sept-Îles

A meeting of peoples, a shared territory

Sept-Îles is above all a city of encounters. Here, two great cultures coexist and enrich each other: that of the North American First Nations and that of peoples from Europe. Together, they have woven for generations the unique identity of this northern territory—open, proud, and deeply rooted.

The non-Indigenous population speaks primarily French, but there is also a well-established English-speaking community with access to a full range of services in English, particularly in education and community life.

Nearby, the Innu community of Uashat mak Mani-Utenam represents virtually the entire Indigenous population of the region. A member of a First Nation of nearly 18,000 people, spread between the North Shore and Labrador, this community plays an essential role in the cultural and social development of the territory.
The Innu speak primarily Innu-aimun, their ancestral language, while also mastering French or English as second languages.

Throughout its history, Sept-Îles has built a multicultural identity marked by openness, respect, and exchange. This cultural blending is now its richness and appeal: a warm and welcoming land, where diversity is a strength and where every voice contributes to the collective story.

Languages spoken in Sept-Îles: French – Innu-aimun – English

An industrial city at the heart of an exceptional territory

Located on the majestic North Shore, within the MRC of Sept-Rivières, Sept-Îles forms, together with Port-Cartier, a strong and complementary regional hub. The city has more than 26,000 inhabitants, to which is added the neighboring Indigenous community of Uashat mak Mani-Utenam, with nearly 4,000 people. Together, they share a rich, vast territory vibrant with history.

Roots turned toward the sea and resources

The history of Sept-Îles is intimately linked to that of its resources. At the beginning of the 20th century, the forest was the economic engine of the region. But already, prospectors were traversing the northern lands, convinced that the subsoil held unsuspected treasures. Their intuition would prove correct: iron ore would give birth to a new city, built on work, boldness, and vision.

In the 1950s, the destiny of Sept-Îles shifted. This small fishing hamlet rapidly transformed into a modern industrial city, propelled by major mining projects: the IOC company, the Wabush mines, and the Scully mine in Labrador. Around these projects, wharves, terminals, dams, and plants were erected—infrastructure that would make Sept-Îles a nerve center of northern development.

An economy in transformation

Like any major industrial port, Sept-Îles has experienced its cycles: periods of growth, crisis, and renewal. In the 1980s, the iron crisis shook the North Shore, forcing the restructuring of many companies. But the resilience of Sept-Îles did not waver. In 1989, the arrival of Aluminerie Alouette brought new economic vitality and marked the beginning of a new era.

The following decades confirmed this momentum:

• 1990s: construction of the Sainte-Marguerite-3 (SM-3) dam, a symbol of regional hydroelectric power.
• 2000s: expansion of Aluminerie Alouette (phase 2) and opening of new mining sites, including Consolidated Thompson in 2010. These investments consolidated Sept-Îles’ position as the industrial and economic metropolis of the North Shore.

A resilient city, focused on the future

Despite fluctuations in the mining market, Sept-Îles remains a resilient city, capable of reinventing itself. Today, it combines energy, expertise, and innovation to build a sustainable future, where industry, nature, and community coexist harmoniously.