The economic uncertainty generated by customs prices forced Quebec International to devote its energies to help companies to diversify their sources of income.
The Economic Development Agency has met around a hundred companies in the region since the start of the year, in order to learn about the difficulties they face.
Quebec International says it every day
Review how it helps and support companies in a context uncertain.
You have to help companies grow in productivity and strengthen their resilience […] All this too in order to help them diversify their markets and their sources of supply.
In the situation where the United States imposes customs tariffs on several countries, it can also generate different occasions
Business for Canada believes the President and CEO of Quebec International.

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Carl Viel, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Quebec International.
Photo : Radio-Canada
Without appointing it, he mentions, for example, an agrifood company in the region who was approached by a company from Asia last week. There are companies there who decided that they wanted to change their distributors who were American and who are now open to watch what we can do as a product
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A company that readjusts
MSC Electronics is one of the companies supported by Quebec International. In the last months, she had to put off 10 % of her workforce.
This subcontractor in the assembly of electronic card is affected by the slowdown of its customers who sell the finished product in the United States. The company is now forced to readjust.

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Geneviève Martel, Sales and market development manager, M2S electronic.
Photo: Radio-Canada / Marie-Ha Trudel
We must be proactive, be agile. We have to reorient ourselves. Automation projects, AI. Projects that we had in our strategies for a little longer term. We better like to be diversified and not put all our eggs in the same basket at the moment.
M2S Electronics is now trying to associate with companies here and targeting the European market and the rest of Canada.
Optimistic despite everything
The large Quebec region remains with a lower unemployment rate than the provincial average. In March, it was 4.4 % in the Capitale-Nationale and 2.9 % in boiler-appeal, compared to 5.5 % across the province.
To generate growth, The Quebec market should be more interested in the quality of jobs versus the quantity
Indicates the Chairman and CEO of Quebec International, Carl Viel.
The economic slowdown of 2024 helped to reduce the income generated by Quebec International in the region. They went from $ 1.56 billion in 2023 to $ 1.34 billion last year. In 2023, we had attracted more people in the region with recruitment missions than in 2024. […] But overall, when you compare yourself, you have to be very satisfied with the results.
indicates Mr. Viel.
The economic development agency is said to be optimistic for the year 2025. We are already in a happy new year, we already have more than half a billion [de dollars de retombées économiques] Already to announce since the beginning of the year, we have many other projects that we discuss and move forward
assures the Chairman and CEO.
With the collaboration of Marie-Ève Trudel