Supporting Quebec Innovation in the AI era

For more than three decades, Microsoft has worked to drive innovation and economic competitiveness in Quebec across the public and private sector. As we enter the new AI era, we’re reinforcing this deep commitment and doubling down on the investments needed to build on the strength of Quebec’s innovation economy. 

We recently unveiled a new report that demonstrates the impact of this work in Quebec. The report from Ernst and Young LLP (EY) found that the Microsoft ecosystem contributes more than $6.4 billion in GDP in Quebec annually and supports 57,600 full-time jobs across the province. This report also highlights Microsoft’s contributions to the province’s economy and society through its partner network, cloud ecosystem, and innovation across all sectors and initiatives that support the broader community.  

Supporting Inclusive Economic Opportunity  

The Microsoft partner ecosystem, composed of local businesses ranging from small to large, rural to urban, has been, and continues to be, at the centre of how Microsoft delivers technology, and services that enable business and public sector transformation across Québec. The more than 3,200 Microsoft partners in Quebec have generated over $5 billion in revenue annually, and fueled a level of customer impact beyond what Microsoft could achieve on our own. 

To continue to grow this impact in Quebec, Microsoft recently announced a $500 million (USD) digital infrastructure investment that will increase its computing capacity by approximately 240 percent over the next 3 years.  

Skills for Jobs  

The report also details how supporting inclusive economic opportunity is about working to close the digital divide to ensure Quebec has a robust skilled workforce in place to fully realize the positive potential of digital transformation and advancements in AI. To bridge the digital skills gap, Microsoft has been laser focused on establishing local partnerships and programs in province.  

For example, we recently announced that we are expanding our alliance with NPower Canada, to empower job-seekers with digital training and career development opportunities aligned to the in-demand tech skills Québec’s economy needs. Specifically, we supported the establishment of NPower Canada’s first bilingual site in Quebec, allowing their Canadian Tech Talent Accelerator (CTTA) program to be accessible to job-seekers in the province. And we’ve just announced new French programming focused on data analysis and AI. This is in addition to the newly announced co-investment of $2 million from Digital, Microsoft and CIBC Foundation, to launch over 6,000 job-seekers across Canada, including Québec, into meaningful careers in the ever-growing tech sector.  

A central focus of our efforts to promote inclusive opportunities is equipping students with vital digital skills that contribute to Quebec’s growing economy. Simultaneously, we are committed to building strong digital environments that are accessible to both learners and teachers alike. Working with Teameo, a Microsoft partner in Longueuil, Quebec, we’re helping educators lead the next generation with ease by creating unique digital environments that meet the needs of Quebec schools, from simplifying how technology is used for teaching to improving how educational content is delivered. 

Earning Trust and Advancing Cybersecurity  

The cybersecurity landscape has long been recognized for its complexity, but the rapid pace of AI has introduced unparalleled opportunities for defenders and attackers. Security teams are tasked with harnessing AI as a force multiplier for positive outcomes, while also bearing the responsibility and expertise to protect their systems and data against advancing AI-driven cyber threats. According to a 2020 ISC Cybersecurity Workforce Study, Canada has a cybersecurity talent shortfall of more than 16,000 people, and that gap has grown since the onset of the pandemic.  

Cybersecurity is a key priority for Canadian organizations’ undergoing rapid digital transformation, so providing access to the right cybersecurity skills must be at the forefront of helping governments and businesses shore up their cyber defence. To further expand on this commitment and help futureproof Quebec businesses in the face of accelerated AI innovation and growing cybersecurity threats, we recently joined forced with KPMG to announce the Operational Risk Skills Development Centre. The Centre, representing an investment of $1.7M over three years will offer free hands-on training to help businesses and governments build cybersecurity protections, navigate the opportunities and challenges of GenAI, and implement it responsibly. 

Further, Microsoft is working closely with partners like Qohash, to help businesses of all sizes meet the highest security and protection requirements by going deep into the very fabric of their organization and providing actionable insights from their data. With comprehensive and detailed insights into their data and its users from Qohash, organizations can better identify risks, pinpoint insider threats and safeguard their most valuable assets.  

Three decades in, Microsoft is proud to be a part of Quebec’s robust innovation economy. Our new investments show our continued commitment to Quebec and its people and businesses, and we look forward to what’s next. 

More details on Microsoft’s impact across Quebec including in relation to sustainability and hybrid work can be found in the EY report.