INREST

What INREST does

INREST (Institut nordique de recherche en environnement et en santé au travail) is a Quebec-based non-profit research institute founded in 2013 in Sept-Îles, focused on environmental monitoring and occupational health and safety in industrial port zones of the St. Lawrence region. It operates the membership-based Centre d'Expertise Industrialo-Portuaire (CEIP), whose members include large industrial operators (Rio Tinto IOC, Alouette, Minerai fer Québec), the Port de Sept-Îles, the Ville de Sept-Îles, Indigenous community ITUM, and small enterprise DESI. Its core technical platform is the Enviro-Actions 5-step preventative management model, which combines the long-running Environmental Observatory for the Bay of Sept-Îles — collecting near-real-time data on water quality, sediments, benthic communities, marine mammals, currents, and ice cover since 2013 — with geochemical and molecular sedimentary analyses and quantitative ecological indicators.

INREST's business model is a hybrid of public funding and recurring membership revenue. Core funding flows from the Government of Quebec for CEIP, including a CAD $4.5 million Enviro-Actions grant announced in March 2022, with additional research grants from NSERC and Fisheries and Oceans Canada via the pan-Canadian CHONe II network. Members pay annual subscriptions that are eligible for a 35% refundable Quebec R&D tax credit, and individual/corporate donations (from $5) flow into a Research Fund that targeted $500,000 in 2020. The organization co-governs the Research Chair ÉcoZone with Université Laval and the Port de Sept-Îles (launched February 2020) and operates additional programs in marine biotechnology, air quality, the Saguenay Fjord (GREFS, 2023), and Indigenous-led monitoring (CENS), all of which collectively support evidence-based environmental decision-making for industrial, port, and maritime activities.

Name

INREST

Legal name

Institut nordique de recherche en environnement et en santé au travail

Website

https://inrest.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

INREST is a Quebec-based non-profit research institute specializing in environmental monitoring and occupational health for industrial port zones. It operates the membership-based CEIP division and the Enviro-Actions preventative management model, serving mining, aluminum, port authority, municipal, and Indigenous members.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Research and Industrial Port Consulting

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (54162), Environmental Consulting Services (541620)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental Compliance & Permitting (BPAHAJAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Environmental Permitting & Impact Assessment (EIA/NEPA) (BPAIAMAK), Compliance Obligations Management (Permits-to-Controls Mapping) (EUAHAIAK)

Keywords

• Environmental monitoring services
• Industrial port consulting
• Coastal ecosystem research
• Occupational health research
• Preventative environmental management

Headquarters

HQ city

Sept-Îles

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. CEIP Membership Subscriptions: Members pay annual subscriptions to participate in CEIP research activities. Members receive fiscal advantages - under Quebec Taxation Law (LIQ), businesses can claim 35% refundable tax credit on fees paid for R&D in Quebec. Not necessary for business to be established in Quebec but must operate in Canada.
2. Research Fund Donations: Donations to the Research Fund support environmental research, population and worker health, and impacts from industrial, port, and maritime activities. 2020 objective was $500,000. Donations starting from $5 accepted.
3. Government of Quebec Funding: CEIP is funded by the Government of Quebec. The 4.5M$ for Enviro-Actions project announced in 2022 represents major government investment.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

INREST operates a non-profit research institute providing environmental monitoring, scientific research, and technical consulting services for industrial port zones along the St. Lawrence in Quebec. Its flagship offering is the Enviro-Actions preventative management model, which establishes environmental observatories and equips industrial port zones with instruments that deliver near-real-time environmental data, enabling evidence-based decision-making and prevention rather than intervention-based management. CEIP membership provides enterprises, municipalities, Indigenous communities, and port authorities with access to multidisciplinary experts and hundreds of researchers from the Quebec-Océan network.

Product overview

INREST (Institut nordique de recherche en environnement et en santé au travail) is a northern research institute focused on environmental sciences and occupational health and safety. The organization operates as a unified platform offering environmental research, monitoring, and consulting services. Its core divisions include the Centre d'Expertise Industrialo-Portuaire (CEIP) for industrial port environmental management, and the Environmental Observatory for the Bay of Sept-Îles for long-term ecosystem monitoring. The flagship Enviro-Actions model provides a 5-step preventative management framework for industrial port zones. Supporting offerings include the Research Chair ÉcoZone (coastal ecosystems research), GREFS (Saguenay Fjord ecosystem research), CHONe II (Canadian marine biodiversity network), Marine Biotechnology services, Air Quality monitoring, and the CENS Indigenous partnership. These products work together to deliver comprehensive environmental solutions from baseline monitoring through to sustainable development planning for industrial port and coastal zones.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Centre d'Expertise Industrialo-Portuaire (CEIP): Division of INREST providing environmental and occupational health and safety services to industrial and port managers, with the Enviro-Actions environmental management model as its flagship project.
• Chaire ÉcoZone
• Enviro-Actions

Products and services

• Centre d'Expertise Industrialo-Portuaire (CEIP) A division of INREST that brings together experts across multiple disciplines to offer centralized services in research and development and technical support for environmental challenges in industrial port zone management and operations along the St. Lawrence, Quebec, Canada, and internationally.
• Environmental Observatory for the Bay of Sept-Îles Long-term environmental monitoring system covering water quality, sediments, benthic communities, eelgrass beds, marine mammals, macroalgae, zooplankton, currents, luminosity, ice cover, and municipal/industrial landfills in the Bay of Sept-Îles.
• Enviro-Actions Preventative Management Model Proprietary 5-step preventative environmental management framework that establishes environmental observatories and equips industrial port zones with instruments for near-real-time environmental data collection, enabling prevention-based management rather than intervention-based approaches.
• Research Chair in Coastal Ecosystems and Port, Industrial, and Maritime Activities (Chaire ÉcoZone) Joint research chair with Université Laval and Port de Sept-Îles to improve fundamental knowledge on coastal ecosystem functioning and guide sustainable management practices in coastal areas with port, industrial, and maritime activities.
• GREFS - Groupe de recherche sur l'écosystème du fjord du Saguenay Research group focused on the Saguenay Fjord ecosystem, pooling research resources to advance scientific understanding of the fjord environment.
• CHONe II - Canadian Healthy Oceans Network Participation

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduces delays and costs linked to environmental authorization requests through near-real-time data availability
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic and major.

• Université LavalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 February 2020Co-founded Research Chair on Coastal Ecosystems and Port, Industrial, and Maritime Activities (Chaire ÉcoZone). Université Laval hosts the Chair and provides academic oversight. Julie Carrière is associate professor at Université Laval. Multiple research collaborations including CHONe II.
• Port de Sept-ÎlescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 February 2020Co-founder of Research Chair. Major port authority in Quebec. Hosts Environmental Observatory in Bay of Sept-Îles. Provides financial and governance support for CEIP. Part of UNESCO-recognized Enviro-Actions project pilot zone.
• Quebec-OcéancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic research network providing CEIP members access to hundreds of researchers from multiple Quebec universities, ministries, NGOs, and federal research laboratories. Students interact with research groups focusing on planetary change impacts on aquatic systems.
• UQAR-ISMER (Université du Québec à Rimouski - Institut des sciences de la mer)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerScientific collaborator on Environmental Observatory phases I and II. Hosts researchers including Jean-Carlos Montero-Serrano (geological oceanography) and post-doctoral researchers. Elliot Dreujou completed postdoc at ISMER.
• UQAC (Université du Québec à Chicoutimi)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerScientific collaborator. Mathieu Cusson (coastal ecosystems, biodiversity) is professor at UQAC. Julie Carrière is associate professor at UQAC. Collaborative research including GREFS project on Saguenay Fjord ecosystem.
• CHONe II (Canadian Healthy Oceans Network II)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNSERC strategic pan-Canadian network for healthy oceans. INREST represents Port de Sept-Îles and Ville de Sept-Îles. Bay of Sept-Îles is one of study sites. Julie Carrière sits on Directors Committee since 2015.
• Centre de recherche sur les biotechnologies marines (CRBM)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership agreement to develop marine biotechnology innovations for North Shore industries. CRBM provides industrial research expertise and high-level facilities; INREST provides environment and occupational health expertise and North Shore industry knowledge.
• Technopole Maritime du QuébecstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerMaritime technology and economic development organization supporting Quebec maritime industry research and innovation.
• Alliance VertestrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental certification organization for St. Lawrence maritime transportation. Alignment with sustainable development goals.
• Réseau Québec Maritime (RQM)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerQuebec maritime network collaborating on Jour Enviro-Actions events and St. Lawrence/Saguenay River ecosystem preservation.
• SODES (Société de développement économique du Saint-Laurent)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerEconomic development organization for St. Lawrence. Co-organized first Jour Enviro-Actions with CEIP in 2022.
• Rio Tinto IOCmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLarge enterprise member of CEIP. Iron ore operations in Sept-Îles area. Financial partner in Saguenay port zone Enviro-Actions project.
• AlouettemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLarge enterprise member of CEIP. Aluminum smelting company in Sept-Îles area.
• Minerai fer QuébecmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLarge enterprise member of CEIP. Iron ore mining company.
• Ville de Sept-ÎlesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal member of CEIP. Represented in CHONe II partnership. Financial partner in Environmental Observatory. Part of UNESCO-recognized Enviro-Actions pilot zone.
• ITUM (Innu Takuaikan Uashat Mak Mani-utenam)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndigenous community member of CEIP. Provides workforce support and collaboration for environmental projects.
• Observatoire Global du Saint-Laurent (OGSL)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on Environmental Observatory phases I and II. Provides St. Lawrence oceanographic data and expertise.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• MEOPAR (Marine Environmental Observation, Prediction and Response Network): Canadian NSERC-funded network of excellence in marine environmental observation and prediction, working with academic, government, and industry partners. Highly comparable to INREST's CHONe II / Quebec-Océan role in Canadian marine research networks.
• St. Lawrence Global Observatory (OGSL): A St. Lawrence oceanographic data network jointly run by universities, government, and NGOs. Directly comparable to INREST because both aggregate and distribute environmental monitoring data for the same Quebec maritime territory and partner on Environmental Observatory phases.

Broad incumbents

• Stantec (Environmental Services): North American engineering, environmental, and consulting firm with large EHS practice. Comparable as a broad incumbent competing for industrial environmental monitoring and permitting work.
• AECOM (Environment business): Global infrastructure consulting firm with major environmental services practice including site assessment, permitting, and monitoring. Comparable as a broad EHS incumbent serving industrial and port clients.
• WSP Global (Environment & Earth Sciences practice): Global engineering and environmental consulting firm with extensive EHS, permitting, and impact assessment capabilities. Comparable because it competes for the same industrial-port environmental consulting spend, though as a broad incumbent rather than niche specialist.
• Wood PLC (Environment & Infrastructure): Global consulting and engineering firm with environmental and industrial monitoring services. Comparable as a broad incumbent serving mining, aluminum, and port clients with overlapping capabilities.
• SLR Consulting: Global environmental and EHS consulting firm with site assessment, permitting, and monitoring offerings for industrial clients. Comparable as a mid-size broad incumbent competing for industrial-port environmental work.

Emerging players

• Takuvik (Joint International Laboratory, Université Laval / CNRS / Université Toulouse III): Academic-affiliated joint lab studying Arctic and sub-Arctic marine environments. Comparable as a Quebec-anchored, university-tied environmental research organization working on northern and coastal ecosystem monitoring.

Regional players

• Ouranos: Quebec-based climate change consortium bringing together government, university, and private-sector partners. Comparable as a Quebec-focused, multi-stakeholder environmental research organization, though focused on climate rather than marine industrial monitoring.
• Centre for Ocean Ventures & Entrepreneurship (COVE): Atlantic Canada marine innovation hub combining industry, academia, and government. Comparable as a multi-stakeholder ocean industry and environmental monitoring cluster, though regional to Nova Scotia rather than Quebec.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/INRESTcanada
• Facebookfacebook.com/inrest.canada
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/inrest-canada

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about INREST