Amidst shifting global trade dynamics, Quebec businesses are increasingly turning to France as a key market, spurred by recent tariffs imposed by the United States. A recent “Choose France” forum in Montreal underscored this growing interest, showcasing opportunities for investment and expansion. The french government, through agencies like Business France, is actively courting Quebec companies, aiming to build on a six-year trend of France being named EuropeS most attractive country for foreign investment.
Quebec businesses are increasingly looking to France as a key market to diversify away from over-reliance on the United States, spurred by the imposition of tariffs by Washington earlier this year. France is actively courting Quebec companies seeking new opportunities for expansion, and a recent forum in Montreal highlighted the growing appeal of the French market.
On Tuesday afternoon, officials from Business France – the French government agency supporting international commercial development – and the French Embassy in Canada hosted a Choose France Forum in Montreal. The event aimed to showcase investment opportunities in France to Quebec-based companies.
The Choose France Forums originated in 2018, when President Emmanuel Macron convened leaders from the world’s 150 largest companies to discuss investment prospects in France. These forums, traditionally held at the Palace of Versailles, were strategically timed ahead of the annual World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
According to organizers, these forums have played a significant role in establishing France as the most attractive country in Europe for foreign investment over the past six years.
This year, the Choose France Forum adopted a new format, taking place in Paris and focusing on French companies and industry associations, similar to the economic summit held in Quebec in 1996.
Complementing this shift, the first Choose France event in Canada was held in Montreal the following day, specifically designed to attract Quebec businesses to invest in France. Throughout Tuesday afternoon, executives from Quebec companies already established in France shared their success stories.
Serge Godin, CEO of CGI, highlighted the exponential growth his company has experienced in France, starting as a modest support provider for Alcan and now ranking among the top IT consulting firms with 17,000 French employees.
Six French regions, including Martinique, were represented at the event held at the Hélène-Desmarais building at HEC Montréal, promoting their respective advantages. Several companies from France Tech, the French technology sector, also participated in the delegation.
Pierre Wellhoff, Director of North American Investment Activities at Business France, emphasized the opportunity for Quebec companies to overcome outdated perceptions of France as overly regulated or politically unstable. “For six years, we’ve demonstrated France’s strengths, including our strong innovation capacity and the support we offer Quebec businesses through Business France, our partner Altios, Crédit Mutuel, and our embassy in Canada,” he stated.
France’s Key Investment Areas
France is particularly focused on attracting companies involved in the energy transition, industrial decarbonization, digital solutions, artificial intelligence, and critical minerals. The country is also seeking to attract small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the healthcare and agri-food sectors. This strategic focus reflects broader European initiatives to bolster key industries.
While over 400 French companies operate in Quebec, only 200 Quebec companies have a presence in France, indicating significant room for growth.
Henri-Paul Rousseau, Quebec’s Delegate General to Paris, suggested that a successful entry strategy for Quebec companies involves first becoming a supplier to a French company operating in Quebec, building a relationship that can then be expanded to France.
“That can certainly be a good approach, but Quebec companies also need to actively seek clients in France and develop a clear strategy and roadmap. It’s crucial to recruit local talent who understand the market,” added Patrick Ferron, co-founder and director of Altios.
Founded in 1991, Altios assists SMEs with international expansion, initially advising French companies but now operating a network of 40 offices in 25 countries.
Companies from Quebec that conduct business in France have consistently noted that the country is approximately ten years ahead of Canada in addressing the challenges of the energy transition.
“France is also more committed and ambitious than Canada and Quebec in pursuing digital sovereignty,” observed Pascal Leblanc, CEO of Mantle Technologie.
PHOTO CATHERINE LEFEBVRE, ARCHIVES LA PRESSE
Pascal Leblanc, CEO of Mantle Technologie
The Montreal-based startup has developed a cybersecurity technology that protects data by fragmenting it into unusable pieces before storing it. This fragmentation technology has attracted the regional government of Grand Est – Alsace, Champagne-Ardenne, and Lorraine – which has adopted Mantle’s solution.
“Since May 20, 2025, our company has been powering the region’s only digital sovereignty solution. We are in discussions with two other regional governments in France and plan to expand into Germany afterward,” explained the technology entrepreneur, specializing in software engineering.
Mantle Technologie has opened an office in Strasbourg, where Pascal Leblanc spends a third of the year while also developing the Canadian market, hoping to secure a portion of the CAD $900 million from the latest federal budget allocated to Canadian digital sovereignty. Establishing a foothold in France to gain recognition in Canada appears to be the path forward for Pascal Leblanc.
