Saguenay, Quebec in the context of Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean

The Saguenay River (French: Rivière Saguenay, [ʁivjɛʁ saɡnɛ]) is a major river of Quebec, Canada. Draining Lac Saint-Jean in the Laurentian Highlands, it leaves Alma and runs east. The city of Saguenay is on the river, which drains into the Saint Lawrence River. Tadoussac, which was founded as a French colonial trading post in 1600, is located on the northeast bank at this site.

The river has a very high flow-rate and is bordered by steep cliffs associated with the Saguenay Graben. Tide waters flow in its fjord upriver as far as Chicoutimi (about 100 kilometres). Many beluga whales breed in the cold waters at its mouth, which makes Tadoussac a popular site for whale watching and sea kayaking, and Greenland sharks also frequent the depths of the river. The area of the confluence of the Saguenay and Saint Lawrence is protected by the Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park, one of Canada's national parks.

Chicoutimi (/ʃɪˈkuːtɪmi/ shih-KOO-tim-ee, French: [ʃikutimi]) is the most populous borough (arrondissement) of the city of Saguenay in Quebec, Canada.

It is situated at the confluence of the Saguenay and Chicoutimi rivers. During the 20th century, it became the main administrative and commercial centre of the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean region. In 2002 it merged into the new city of Saguenay and forms the heart of the 5th-largest urban area of the province of Quebec. At the 2021 census, its population was 69,004.