MRC des Pays-d'en-Haut

What MRC des Pays-d'en-Haut does

MRC des Pays-d'en-Haut is a Municipalité régionale de comté (MRC) — a regional county municipality under Quebec's municipal law — governing 10 municipalities in the Laurentides region of Quebec, Canada: Estérel, Lac-des-Seize-Îles, Morin-Heights, Piedmont, Saint-Adolphe-d'Howard, Saint-Sauveur, Sainte-Adèle, Sainte-Anne-des-Lacs, Sainte-Marguerite-du-Lac-Masson, and Wentworth-Nord. It serves approximately 50,000 permanent residents plus a meaningful seasonal villégiateur population, and coordinates supralocal public services including land use planning (schéma d'aménagement), property assessment for the 2025–2027 triennial roll (17,724 evaluation units across four municipalities), residual materials management, environmental and climate action (Plan climat), public security coordination, economic development, cultural and heritage policy, sports and recreation (including the Centre sportif Pays-d'en-Haut opened in August 2022), and regional transportation.

The MRC's core operating infrastructure comprises digital service platforms rather than a proprietary technology platform. Three flagship digital properties support service delivery: lespaysdenhaut.com (the official corporate site and news/information hub), pdheconomique.com (economic development portal launched September 2024), and culturepdh.com (cultural programming portal), plus the Infocollecte.com self-serve waste-collection portal. Physical service infrastructure centers on the Centre sportif Pays-d'en-Haut (aquatic, ice, and fitness facilities in Sainte-Adèle), regional trail networks (Corridor aérobique, Le P'tit Train du Nord via SOPAIR), and an in-house property assessment service backed by geospatial (Géomatique) systems. No API, SDK, or proprietary AI platform is disclosed. Internal systems support council governance and document publication; external services are bundled under sub-brands rather than sold as modular products.

Revenue mechanics rely on a tax-and-grant model rather than commercial pricing. The 2026 operating budget totals $27.6M (CAD), compared with $29.2M in 2025 — a step-function reduction indicating fiscal restraint — funded primarily by property taxes (taxes foncières) levied across the 10 constituent municipalities and supplemented by Quebec provincial grants (Fonds régions et ruralité, Plan climat subsidies, $1.05M for collective transport, $2M+ for eight climate projects) and federal infrastructure programs. User fees apply to the Centre sportif (ice rentals, swimming, fitness, with priority registration for residents of partner municipalities and free-admission periods in 2025–2026) and to ICI (Industrial, Commercial, Institutional) waste collection on a monthly billing cadence. Grants and community funds — Fonds culture et patrimoine, Fonds de développement des communautés ($390,000 envelope for 2026 with $270,090 distributed to 16 organizations), Fonds virage numérique, and FLIP — flow primarily to beneficiaries rather than back to the MRC as revenue. Customer segments include permanent residents, seasonal residents and tourists, local SMEs, ICI waste customers, and the 10 constituent municipalities themselves as institutional partners.

Name

MRC des Pays-d'en-Haut

Legal name

MRC des Pays-d'en-Haut

Website

https://lespaysdenhaut.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

MRC des Pays-d'en-Haut is a Quebec regional county municipality governing 10 municipalities in the Laurentides region, serving approximately 50,000 residents with regional public services including land use planning, property assessment, waste management, economic development, sports facilities, and cultural programming.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regional Public Administration

NAICS

Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (9251), Services to Buildings and Dwellings (5617)

SIC

Services-To Dwellings & Other Buildings (7340)

akta.pro primary industry

Homeowners Association (HOA) Management (BPAJAHAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Master-Planned Community & POA Management (BPAJAHAD)

Keywords

• Regional public administration
• Municipal land use planning
• Waste collection services
• Economic development services
• Recreational facility management

Headquarters

HQ city

Sainte-adèle

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Property Tax Revenue: The MRC generates revenue primarily through property taxation (taxes foncières) collected from the 10 constituent municipalities. The 2026 budget totals $27.6M, representing a 3.3% increase over the previous year. The MRC also collects property assessment fees and generates revenue from various municipal services.
2. Government Grants and Subsidies: The MRC receives significant funding from the Quebec government (gouvernement du Québec) and federal programs for infrastructure projects, climate action (Plan climat), economic development, community development (Fonds régions et ruralité), and cultural initiatives. Examples include $2M+ for 8 climate projects and $1.6M+ for trail network development.
3. Sports and Recreation Fees: The Centre sportif Pays-d'en-Haut generates revenue through user fees for ice time, swimming programs (Nager pour la vie), fitness programs, and facility rentals. The MRC has adopted free admission policies for certain periods, supported by sponsorship partnerships (e.g., IGA ice rink naming).
4. Economic Development Services: The Service de développement économique provides support to businesses including access to funds like FLIP (Fonds local d'investissement), the Virage Numérique fund, and cultural/economic grants. Revenue is generated through program administration fees and partnership contributions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

MRC des Pays-d'en-Haut is a regional county municipality (municipalité régionale de comté) in the Laurentides region of Quebec that coordinates statutory public services across 10 member municipalities serving approximately 32,000 residents. Its offerings include regional land use planning, residual and organic waste collection (Infocollecte), economic and cultural development funding programs, recreational infrastructure including the Centre sportif Pays-d'en-Haut and the Corridor aérobique trail, property assessment, and emergency/environmental management.

Product overview

MRC des Pays-d'en-Haut is a regional county municipality (local government) serving 10 municipalities in the Laurentides region of Quebec with approximately 50,000 permanent residents. Rather than a commercial product company, it delivers public services including: a regional sports complex (Centre sportif Pays-d'en-Haut) with aquatic and ice facilities; a citizen-facing waste collection management platform (Infocollecte) for scheduling and reporting; economic development services via pdheconomique.com; heritage preservation through an online inventory and cultural funds; climate action planning; and recreational trail networks including the Corridor aérobique. These services are provided as interconnected civic infrastructure rather than a modular software product architecture.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Centre sportif Pays-d'en-Haut: Regional sports centre in Sainte-Adèle offering aquatic activities, ice sports, and fitness programs.
• pdheconomique.com
• CulturePDH

Products and services

• Centre sportif Pays-d'en-Haut Regional sports and recreation complex operated by the MRC, offering sports facilities, programming, and rental space to residents and visitors of the member municipalities.
• Infocollecte Regional residual and organic waste collection service provided free of charge to residents of the 10 member municipalities, with paid collection for industrial, commercial, and institutional (ICI) waste generators.
• pdheconomique.com economic development portal Regional economic development platform supporting local businesses, entrepreneurs, and economic projects within the MRC des Pays-d'en-Haut territory.
• Fonds culture et patrimoine Regional funding program providing financial support to cultural and heritage projects and organizations within the MRC territory.
• Fonds développement des communautés Regional funding program supporting community development initiatives across the 10 member municipalities.
• Fonds virage numérique Regional funding program providing financial support to local businesses for digital transformation initiatives.
• Corridor aérobique Regional multi-use recreational trail corridor offering outdoor activities such as walking, cycling, and cross-country skiing to residents and visitors.
• Plan climat MRC des Pays-d'en-Haut Regional climate action plan providing structured environmental initiatives and sustainable development guidance for the MRC territory, supported by the PDISustains platform.

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• HEC MontréalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 October 2025Partnership between the Service de développement économique de la MRC des Pays-d'en-Haut and HEC Montréal to support the growth and commercialization of regional businesses. A structured digital marketing training program is deployed as part of this initiative to help businesses accelerate commercialization.
• La RucheminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership between the MRC des Pays-d'en-Haut and La Ruche to offer up to $5,000 in additional regional financing for entrepreneurs seeking to undertake digital transformation on the MRC territory. This was the first regional additional financing program in the Laurentides.
• TricentrisminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTricentris granted $450,000 through an intermunicipal agreement with the MRC de La Rivière-du-Nord, the MRC des Laurentides, and the MRC des Pays-d'en-Haut for the perpetuation of winter activities on the Parc linéaire Le P'tit Train du Nord.
• Transport adapté et collectif des Laurentides (TACL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTACL provides collective and adapted transportation services in the Laurentides region, including the MRC des Pays-d'en-Haut territory. The MRC works with TACL on developing collective transportation options and contributed to the organization's strategic development plan.
• Société de plein air des Pays-d'en-Haut (SOPAIR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSOPAIR is the regional outdoor recreation organization managing and developing trail networks in the MRC des Pays-d'en-Haut. The MRC provides funding and strategic support to SOPAIR, which has obtained over $6.5M in subsidies over 10 years for trail development including the Routes blanches project.
• Loisirs LaurentidesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Loisirs Laurentides to launch the mobile equipment unit 'Circonflexe – prêt-pour-bouger', providing free access to sports and recreational equipment (pickleball kits, etc.) to MRC residents.
• IGA (Glace IGA)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerIGA entered a naming rights and sponsorship partnership valued at nearly $500,000 over 10 years for the ice rink at the Centre sportif Pays-d'en-Haut, providing significant financial support to the sports facility.
• Union des municipalités du Québec (UMQ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe MRC is a member of the UMQ and its Prefect (Catherine Hamé) was named to the UMQ's MRC Commission in 2025. The MRC participates in UMQ initiatives including the Parcours de décarbonation, becoming the first MRC in Quebec to join the municipal vehicle decarbonation program.
• Corporation de développement économique (CDE) des LaurentidescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe CDE of the MRC des Laurentides and the Service de développement économique of the MRC des Pays-d'en-Haut announced a strategic partnership with HEC Montréal to support regional business growth and commercialization.
• Laurentides International / Connexion LaurentidesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartners in the front common to support businesses facing U.S. tariff challenges, providing accompaniment, innovation, and diversification support for regional companies.
• Office d'habitation des LaurentidescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe MRC concluded an agreement with the Office d'habitation des Laurentides to offer a Housing Search Assistance Service (SARL) providing personalized support to people needing housing across the entire MRC territory.
• Culture Laurentides / Conseil des arts et des lettres du QuébeccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEight MRCs in the Laurentides and two cities signed the Entente sectorielle de développement pour les arts et les lettres, coordinated by Culture Laurentides, to fund artistic and cultural projects across the region.
• Musée d'art contemporain des Laurentides (MACLAU)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with MACLAU for cultural mediation projects at the Centre sportif Pays-d'en-Haut, including the public art installation 'L'Ouvrage' and cultural programming.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• MRC de Charlevoix: Tourism-intensive Quebec MRC with comparable dependence on seasonal residents and recreational trail infrastructure. Peer for trail management, cultural development, and seasonal population service strategies.
• MRC de La Côte-de-Beaupré: Quebec MRC east of Québec City with comparable regional mandate in planning, environment, and tourism. Useful peer for benchmarking cultural/heritage programming (similar reliance on tourism-driven tax base).
• MRC de Deux-Montagnes: Laurentides regional peer with similar statutory mandate across urban-fringe municipalities. Comparable scale and service mix, useful for cross-MRC comparison on tax base, grants, and recreational facility operations.
• MRC de Thérèse-De Blainville: Laurentides MRC providing comparable supralocal services including property assessment, waste management, and recreation to a more urbanized constituency. Useful peer for service delivery benchmarks.
• MRC d'Argenteuil: Laurentides regional MRC serving a mix of small municipalities with similar regional coordination responsibilities in planning, environment, and economic development. Comparable governance structure but distinct geographic service area.

Direct peers

• Ville de Sainte-Adèle: Constituent municipality hosting the MRC's headquarters and Centre sportif. Operates complementary municipal services (local roads, parks, permitting) and serves as a primary inter-governmental counterpart within the MRC's coordination model.
• MRC des Laurentides: Adjacent MRC in the same Laurentides region, coordinating 20+ municipalities with comparable mandates in land use planning, waste management, economic development, and recreation. Direct regional peer for benchmarking service delivery and inter-MRC partnership (e.g., Le P'tit Train du Nord).
• MRC de La Rivière-du-Nord: Neighbouring Laurentides MRC and existing co-funding partner with the MRC des Pays-d'en-Haut for trail network activities (Tricentris winter activities agreement). Comparable population scale, services portfolio, and statutory mandate.

Others

• Société de plein air des Pays-d'en-Haut (SOPAIR): Core operational partner for trail network management in the MRC territory, having secured over $6.5M in subsidies over 10 years. Comparable scope of recreational infrastructure stewardship at a more specialized level.

Broad incumbents

• Union des municipalités du Québec (UMQ): Quebec-wide municipal association of which the MRC is a member and whose MRC Commission includes the MRC's Préfète. Comparable advocacy, training, and program-administration footprint (e.g., Parcours de décarbonation) at a much larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/mrcdespaysdenhaut
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mrc-des-pays-d-en-haut

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 MRC des Pays-d'en-Haut