Baie-Comeau, Québec is a town located approximately 420 kilometers north-east of Quebec City in the Côte-Nord region of the province of Québec, Canada. Its population was of 25,554 at the 1996 census, and 23,079 at that of 2001. This slight decrease in population in the last decade is partly explained by the fact that many baby-boomers get retired then move elsewhere, often looking for warmer temperatures. The absence of University and many college-level courses forces the youth to get their education elsewhere; many of them will not find employment in their hometown (e.g. military, high-tech, etc.) or will prefer to establish themselves closer to a urban area (Usually Montreal or Quebec city). Baie-Comeau is also the seat of Manicouagan Regional County Municipality