In 1663, Bishop François de Laval established the Séminaire de Québec on the fief of Sault-au-Matelot. Overlooking the St. Lawrence River, the religious complex acquired more and more land in the centre of town and surrounding areas. Over the years it expanded its properties to Île-Jésus, Sillery and the Beaupré coast. The land was fertile, the lakes were teeming with fish and the forests provided tons of wood. The estates furnished firewood and food for the residents and boarders. In the eighteenth century the Seminary became an important source of employment. Builders, masons, carpenters, printers and traders hired by the Séminaire de Québec all contributed to expanding this important economic network.