The "Le Québec des bâtisseurs" research initiative was launched by Henri-Paul Rousseau, associate professor at HEC Montréal and CIRANO Visiting Fellow. It brings together researchers with varied expertise under the direction of Raquel Fonseca, full professor at ESG UQAM, researcher and CIRANO Fellow.
This groundbreaking project aims to measure the evolution of entrepreneurship in Quebec across different historical periods by developing a series of complementary studies. This research examines key indicators such as the effect of education, the regulatory and fiscal framework on entrepreneurship, as well as factors such as the growth of individual wealth, the development of venture capital and access to stock markets in business growth. Particular attention is also paid to studying the history of major entrepreneurial figures in the media and the specific contribution of French-speaking entrepreneurs to this ecosystem.
Some analyses are based on original data obtained through exclusive compilations from government sources, offering a unique and rigorous perspective. The overall objective of the project is to better understand the factors influencing entrepreneurial dynamics in Quebec, while drawing comparisons with other Canadian provinces where data are available.
With this initiative, the researchers thus aim to enrich the existing literature on entrepreneurship in Quebec by offering an in-depth analysis based on varied and complementary perspectives.