If it happens in Abitibi‑Ouest or elsewhere in Canada, the regional economy could move somewhere else in Quebec or Canada. If people do not live there, they inevitably will rent small apartments and they won't spend much money in the area, and that will lead to fewer government services. By that I mean hospitals, schools and all the rest.
It will also cause regional businesses to shut down, because it would create even more competition in the regions. That would increase conditions for workers and could lead to business closures and make regional businesses less competitive.
Those are our four main areas of concern.