Some of Quebec’s most successful business leaders are hoping the next government will do more to promote economic development in the province. They sent a message to the political parties on Friday. “Quebecers need to say I want to win. Like, I’m done with losing,” said Andrew Lutfy, CEO of Groupe Dynamite, to hundreds of entrepreneurs gathered in Montreal. He said he believes the province has become “uninvestible.” “Quebec is the most onerous jurisdiction to do business in,” he said. He was joined by Alain Bouchard, co-founder of Couche-Tard, and other business leaders. They say among the U.S. states and Canadian provinces, Quebec ranks in the bottom 10 per cent for GDP per capita and purchasing power. Economist Moshe Lander is not surprised. “It’s much more parochial. It’s much more of a nanny state. It’s much more regulatory,” he said. The group says they want the next government to remove obstacles to growth, but don’t say exactly what those obstacles are. They delivered their message just three days before Quebecers head to the polls with plenty of referendum talk. Lander says many companies are probably getting edgy. “Businesses don’t like uncertainty. This isn’t good for business,” he said, adding some of the province’s policies surrounding language and culture can be challenging.
