By the Québec Government Office in São Paulo*
On May 7, the city of Montreal hosted the Canada-Brazil Business Forum, a trade mission organized by the Federation of Industries of the State of Minas Gerais (FIEMG) and the Government of Quebec.
Composed of a broad delegation representing 96 companies from six Brazilian states, with more than 130 business leaders, authorities, and institutional representatives, the event demonstrated the importance of the Brazilian market at a time when Québec is investing in economic diversification.
In her opening remarks, Marie-Claude Francoeur, from the Ministry of International Relations and La Francophonie, reaffirmed Brazil’s importance as a priority partner for Québec, both commercially and institutionally, while also emphasizing the central role of opening new markets and partnerships in strengthening economic resilience.
Meanwhile, Guilherme Abrantes, Chief Financial Officer of the Federation of Industries of the State of Minas Gerais, highlighted the importance of trust as the foundation of international economic relations: “Brazil and Canada are not partners by chance — we are partners by vocation. These are two economies that do not compete with each other, but rather complement one another.”
The Forum featured two main thematic panels: “Brazil: The Country of Business and Investment Opportunities” and “Brazil-Canada Connection: Together on the Path of Innovation,” which addressed topics such as energy transition, strategic minerals, technological innovation, and the strengthening of bilateral relations.
At the same time, Investissement Québec International (IQI) organized a program of technical visits to Québec-based companies operating in sectors such as metallurgy, food production, and construction, creating concrete opportunities for business engagement.
On the institutional level, the visit took place within the context of the renewal process of the cooperation agreement between the State of Minas Gerais and the Province of Québec, originally signed in 1996, highlighting the synergy between the two partners and the continued strengthening of their ties.
In addition, representatives from Invest Minas met with members of the Ministry of International Relations and La Francophonie, investment promotion institutions, and stakeholders from Québec’s Energy Transition and Hydrogen Valley innovation zone.
These exchanges helped identify several opportunities for collaboration, particularly in the areas of hydroelectric energy distribution, hydrogen production, and the sustainable processing of strategic and critical minerals.
The Québec Government Office in São Paulo thanked the Federation of Industries of the State of Minas Gerais and Invest Minas for their excellent collaboration, which was fundamental to the success of this initiative.
*This text does not necessarily reflect the views of the CCBC and is the sole responsibility of the author who signed this content.
