{"id":1466,"date":"2017-02-15T14:14:16","date_gmt":"2017-02-15T19:14:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.soquem.qc.ca\/a-propos\/"},"modified":"2026-02-23T16:07:10","modified_gmt":"2026-02-23T21:07:10","slug":"about-us-2","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.soquem.qc.ca\/en\/about-us-2\/","title":{"rendered":"About us"},"content":{"rendered":"

Mission and history<\/h2><\/div>

SOQUEM, la Soci\u00e9t\u00e9 qu\u00e9b\u00e9coise d'exploration mini\u00e8re, is a subsidiary of Investissement Qu\u00e9bec and a leader in Quebec\u2019s mineral exploration industry. SOQUEM's mission is to explore, discover, and develop the province\u2019s mineral resources.\u00a0Through its collaborative and innovative approach, SOQUEM aims to make significant discoveries that will contribute to increasing the wealth of Quebec.<\/p>\n

Since its foundation, SOQUEM has helped maintain a strong economy in Quebec\u2019s mining regions. The company\u2019s exploration work has led to the discovery and operation of numerous deposits.<\/p>\n

SOQUEM has managed to reach its objectives throughout the years by designing its own business model. Partnering with various exploration companies and diversifying its portfolio of shareholdings is the key to overcoming cyclical economic constraints. SOQUEM thus maximizes return on its assets and minimizes risks by joining forces with partners to develop its projects.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

2012<\/div>
SOQUEM becomes a subsidiary of Ressources Qu\u00e9bec, which is itself a subsidiary of Investissement Qu\u00e9bec.<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
2006<\/div>
Relocation of SOQUEM\u2019s head office in Val-d\u2019Or, at the heart of one of the most important mining regions in Quebec.<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
1996<\/div>
Creation of SODEMEX by SOQUEM, a development fund for junior exploration companies.<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
1986<\/div>
Privatization of many of SOQUEM\u2019s productive assets that led to the creation of Cambior, which then became IAMGOLD.<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
1965<\/div>
Creation of SOQUEM by decree by Ren\u00e9 L\u00e9vesque, then minister of Jean Lesage\u2019s Liberal government.<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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SOQUEM\u2019s strength<\/h2><\/div>

Highlighting and reconciling the team\u2019s knowledge are important aspects for the organization. The implementation of the strategic plan requires the commitment and mobilization of the team, because together, we will go further!<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\"Soleil
<\/div><\/div><\/div>

Board of directors<\/h2>
<\/div><\/div><\/div>

Donna Kirkwood<\/h4><\/div>

Chair<\/p><\/div>

Donna Kirkwood is an advisor to public and private organizations on strategic positioning, the design and management of science, technology, and innovation programs and policies. Active on both the national and international scenes, she has served on numerous scientific and academic steering committees as well as advisory boards for funding agencies and scientific networks. She currently sits on the boards of the British Geological Survey and ArcticNet as an independent director.<\/p>\n

From 2016 to 2019, Donna served as Chief Scientist at Natural Resources Canada, where she strengthened the science\u2013policy interface on natural resources and environmental issues and provided advice on cross-cutting matters such as science capacity and communication. Prior to that, she held executive roles at the Geological Survey of Canada (GSC), where she became the first woman to serve as Director General (2010\u20132015), helping position the GSC as a leading government science organization. Before joining the federal government, Donna was a full professor of geosciences at Universit\u00e9 Laval in Quebec, where she developed innovative, collaborative, and inclusive research programs over a 12-year period, earning numerous awards for teaching excellence.<\/p>\n

Donna holds a PhD in Geosciences, has received training in leadership, public sector management, and governance, and is a member of the Ordre des G\u00e9ologues du Qu\u00e9bec. She is a strong advocate for women in STEM.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Michel Champagne<\/h4><\/div>

Independent director<\/p><\/div>

Michel Champagne holds a Master of Science degree from Universit\u00e9 Laval (1982) and a BSc from Universit\u00e9 de Montr\u00e9al (1978). From 1978 to 1980 and from 1982 to 1986, he worked in mineral exploration in Quebec for SOQUEM and acquired experience in underground exploration with Louvem. During this time, Mr. Champagne led the team that discovered the main zone of the Chimo mine and the Monique deposit, both of which were developed and mined in the following years. From 1986 to 1995, he worked at the Montr\u00e9al Exchange as chief geologist and analyst, gaining experience in the securities industry. From 1995 to 2000, he worked first in Corporate development with Freewest Resources Inc. and Murgor Resources Inc., then mainly with Pangea Goldfields Inc. as Exploration Manager for Latin America, where he managed their Peruvian subsidiary. The subsidiary outlined two deposits, one that has been exploited sporadically and the other being at the feasibility stage. In 2001, he helped establish the SIDEX Limited Partnership and continued to lead the institutional fund until his retirement in 2020.<\/p>\n

The Fonds de Solidarit\u00e9 FTQ recruited Mr. Champagne in 2020 to sit on its Mining Sector Investment Committee.<\/p>\n

Mr. Champagne was a member of the Mining Technical Advisory and Monitoring Committee, a group of professionals representing the Canadian mining industry, responsible for overseeing the application of National Instrument 43-101 and advising Canadian securities regulators on its application. He also sat on advisory committees for the TSX Venture Exchange at the local and national levels and the Mining Advisory Committee of the Autorit\u00e9 des March\u00e9s Financiers. For many years, Mr. Champagne has been involved in various activities related to the mining industry for such organizations as the Quebec Mineral Exploration Association and the Geological Association of Canada. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Genevi\u00e8ve Castonguay<\/h4><\/div>

Director<\/p><\/div>

Ms. Castonguay has more than 20 years of experience in Quebec organizations as a manager and chartered accountant. Graduated in 1999 with the BAA from the \u00c9cole des Hautes \u00e9tudes commerciales, she is a member of the Order of Chartered Professional Accountants of Quebec.<\/p>\n

Her professional experience makes her an attentive and creative manager. She joined Investissement Qu\u00e9bec in 2014 and holds the position of Senior Director, Accounting and Operations. In addition of the board of directors of SOQUEM and other organizations, she is also President of its audit committee.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Lise Ch\u00e9nard<\/h4><\/div>

Independent Director<\/p><\/div>

Ms. Ch\u00e9nard has over 40 years of experience in the mining sector. She holds a Bachelor\u2019s degree in Geological Engineering from Universit\u00e9 Laval (1980), and her expertise is grounded in extensive experience in mine geology, technical supervision of advanced projects, auditing of mineral resources and reserves, and participation in technical studies for mining projects in Quebec and internationally.<\/p>\n

From 1980 to 2001, she worked in Quebec for various gold and base metal mining operations, where she served for several years as Chief Geologist.<\/p>\n

From 2001 to 2005, she worked as a technical advisor on CIDA-funded projects focused on strengthening institutional capacities in the mining sector in Bolivia and Peru. From 2006 to 2013, she worked internationally for Barrick Gold and as an independent consultant on various mining projects.<\/p>\n

From 2013 until her retirement in 2021, she held the position of Senior Director of Mine Geology and Principal Technical Advisor at IAMGOLD.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Sylvain Gendron<\/h4><\/div>

Director<\/p><\/div>

Sylvain Gendron was appointed Senior Vice-President, Legal Affairs and Secretariat at Investissement Qu\u00e9bec in April 2021, and Premier, Vice-President and Chief Risk Officer and Chief Legal Officer in 2024.<\/p>\n

With more than twenty years of experience, including several as an executive officer, Mr. Gendron worked for fifteen years at the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC). He also worked for a few years in private practice at McCarthy T\u00e9trault and Ogilvy Renault.<\/p>\n

Sylvain Gendron holds a law degree and a diploma in business administration with a concentration in finance from Universit\u00e9 Laval and is a member of the Quebec Bar.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Jean-Yves Labb\u00e9<\/h4><\/div>

Independent director<\/p><\/div>

Jean-Yves Labb\u00e9 holds a Bachelor’s degree in Geology from Universit\u00e9 Laval (1985), a master’s degree in Geology from Universit\u00e9 Laval (1988), and a Ph.D. in Mineral Resources from the Universit\u00e9 du Qu\u00e9bec \u00e0 Chicoutimi (1994).<\/p>\n

Specialized in structural geology, he joined the minist\u00e8re des Ressources naturelles du Qu\u00e9bec in 1992 as a regional geologist and led geological mapping projects in Abitibi and James Bay regions. From 1998 to 2006, he was regional metallogenist for the Grand Nord project and produced a metallogenic synthesis of the northeastern Superior Province (Minto). He then focused on mineral potential assessment and secondary environment geochemistry. He supervised several lake-bottom sediment geochemical survey projects in the Grenville Province.<\/p>\n

Jean-Yves shifted his career to management in 2011, becoming the interim head of the Service de la diffusion et de l\u2019int\u00e9gration, then Directeur de la Promotion et du soutien aux op\u00e9rations. He was actively involved in organizing Qu\u00e9bec Mines, particularly in charge of the conference program. In 2017, he was appointed Directeur de l\u2019Information g\u00e9ologique du Qu\u00e9bec and in charge for developing the SIG\u00c9OM database. He was interim general manager of G\u00e9ologie Qu\u00e9bec in 2020. From 2021 until his retirement in 2023, he was Directeur de l\u2019Information g\u00e9ologique et de la promotion. He played a key role in building an effective team to promote Quebec’s mining potential internationally.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Executive management<\/h2>
<\/div><\/div><\/div>

Tony Brisson<\/h4><\/div>

P. geo, President & CEO<\/p><\/div>

Mr. Brisson is President and Chief Executive Officer of SOQUEM since 2021. A member of the Ordre des g\u00e9ologues du Qu\u00e9bec, he has over 35 years of experience in the exploration and development of precious and base metals in Quebec, Ontario, and North Africa.
\nHe has held several senior management positions with companies such as Goldcorp, Ressources Cogitore, Ressources Breakwater, and Cambior. In 2009, he was part of the Ressources Cogitore team that received the Qu\u00e9bec Mineral Exploration Association\u2019s \u201cProspector of the Year\u201d Award for the Scott Lake project.
\nMr. Brisson holds a bachelor\u2019s degree in geology from the Universit\u00e9 du Qu\u00e9bec \u00e0 Chicoutimi. He has served on the boards of directors of Ressources Opus One Inc., Radisson Mining Resources Inc., and the Qu\u00e9bec Mineral Exploration Association.<\/p>\n

Profil LinkedIn<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Catherine Jalbert<\/h4><\/div>

P. Geo, Vice President<\/p><\/div>

Ms. Jalbert holds a bachelor’s degree in Geology from Laval University in Qu\u00e9bec and is a member of the Order of Geologists of Quebec.<\/p>\n

She began her career with InnovExplo, a consulting firm, where she worked mainly in Quebec, but also elsewhere in Canada and Ivory Coast. Then, she worked as the Exploration manager at Radisson Mining Resources.<\/p>\n

Ms. Jalbert joined SOQUEM in 2018 as a Senior project manager. She held the position of Exploration Manager of Val-d’Or’s office since May 2021. Ms. Jalbert has been promoted as Vice president in October 2022.<\/p>\n

She was an active member of the Board of Directors of the Order of Geologists of Quebec from 2017 to 2020.<\/p>\n

Profil LinkedIn<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Gabrielle Rochefort<\/h4><\/div>

P. Eng., Exploration Manager<\/p><\/div>

Ms. Rochefort holds a bachelor’s degree in geological engineering from the Universit\u00e9 du Qu\u00e9bec \u00e0 Chicoutimi.<\/p>\n

Prior to joining SOQUEM in January 2013, she worked as a geological assistant for the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources and GeoNordic Technical Services.<\/p>\n

Ms. Rochefort is a member of the Quebec Order of Engineers and the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada, and is Chair of the Board of Directors of the CIM\u2019s Chapais-Chibougamau branch.<\/p>\n

Profil LinkedIn<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Annie Tourangeau<\/h4><\/div>

Controller, CPA<\/p><\/div>

Member of the Order of Professional Accountants of Quebec since 1997, Ms. Tourangeau holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting sciences from the University of Quebec in Abitibi-T\u00e9miscamingue.<\/p>\n

Employed by SOQUEM since April 2019, she first held a position of senior accountant, before being promoted to controller in July 2020.<\/p>\n

She previously held jobs in the mining industry, including senior accounting positions for Eldorado Gold, Lamaque division from 2016 to 2019 and for Iamgold (Cambior) from 1996 to 2009.<\/p>\n

She has also held various accounting positions as controller, administrative director and accountant in construction companies from 2009 to 2016.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Mission and historySOQUEM, la Soci\u00e9t\u00e9 qu\u00e9b\u00e9coise d’exploration mini\u00e8re, is a subsidiary of Investissement Qu\u00e9bec and a leader in Quebec\u2019s mineral exploration industry. SOQUEM’s mission is to explore, discover, and develop the province\u2019s mineral resources.\u00a0Through its collaborative and innovative approach, SOQUEM aims to make significant discoveries that will contribute to increasing the wealth of Quebec. Since […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":18,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1466","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.soquem.qc.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1466","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.soquem.qc.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.soquem.qc.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.soquem.qc.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.soquem.qc.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1466"}],"version-history":[{"count":24,"href":"https:\/\/www.soquem.qc.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1466\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3986,"href":"https:\/\/www.soquem.qc.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1466\/revisions\/3986"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.soquem.qc.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1466"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}