First, most of our outfitters are in what I would call resource-rich areas, so forest areas. The bulk of our outfitters are concentrated north of the St. Lawrence, on the North Shore, in the Mauricie region, in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, in the Laurentians and in the Outaouais. Normally, they are located not too far from small communities, including regional centres such as La Tuque in the Mauricie region, as well as Forestville and Les Escoumins in the North Shore region. We have outfitters in the Témiscamingue region, the Pontiac region and the Gatineau Valley, home to Maniwaki, the birthplace of our outfitting industry. Our first commercial outfitters emerged in those sectors.
The economic spinoff from the outfitting industry is estimated to be over $250 million. The industry generates considerable tourist traffic for these communities. Businesses supplying goods and services in these communities have benefited significantly. La Tuque comes to mind. When fishing season starts, the town really comes to life. Our outfitters really do bring in a lot of tourist traffic. Small communities and small regional centres, where forest areas are often most easily accessible, enjoy most of the spinoff from our industry. The impact is really quite tangible.