I am so glad you had that experience. We take our fabric stores for granted. I am in a rural area but near enough to a city large enough to have 2 small quilt shops, Hancock's, Joann's, Hobby Lobby and Walmart. I still order a lot online.
If you are in the southern part of Quebec, you are not too far from quilt shops in Vermont. I have not looked for fabric when I have been there (DD lives there) but there are a lot of quilters in Vermont.