Fonds de solidarité FTQ Cumulative Investment in Life Sciences Tops $2 Billion

Montreal, April 16, 2025

Nearly 120 people attended an invitation-only symposium organized by the Fonds de solidarité FTQ ("Fonds") in Montréal to celebrate innovation in life sciences, an important industry for the Québec economy in which the Fonds has been investing for more than 35 years. With over $2 billion invested to date, the Fonds is the largest institutional life sciences investor in Québec and Canada. Over the years, the organization has participated in some of the greatest success stories in the Québec biopharmaceutical industry and has developed a solid venture capital ecosystem.  

The symposium was an opportunity to bring together the key players to take stock of how far the industry has come, reflect on current issues and look to the future with confidence and ambition.

"Although we're facing unsettling developments right now, it's good to remember that we've been through tough times before and found ways to reinvent ourselves. In fact, the industry went through a difficult period a while back. And the Fonds de solidarité FTQ was there then, as it is now. Gathering here today speaks to our confidence in Québec and its talented professionals as well as to its ability to remain a preferred location for the life sciences industry," said Janie C. Béïque, President and CEO of the Fonds de solidarité FTQ, in her opening remarks at the symposium. 

At the end of a day filled with discussions and meetings, Dany Pelletier, the Fonds' Executive Vice-President of Private Equity and Impact Investing, spoke of the complexity of the current economic situation and reminded the audience that "every transformation also brings opportunities. […] The United States remains an essential trading partner, but we would do well to diversify our partnerships and strengthen our direct and indirect venture capital offering. We stand to gain by working more with each other in Québec and in the Canadian market, and by exploring economic relations with the European Union, Mexico, South America and Asia. Repositioning is a major challenge, but Québec has many strengths. The life sciences industry is one of them. The Fonds de solidarité FTQ is another." 

"Until now, we invested in companies or projects that had reached a certain level of maturity.  We think that the entire industry and society overall stand to gain if we invest earlier, upstream in innovation.  The Fonds de solidarité FTQ is therefore prepared to increase the risk level in life sciences. […] This is how we want to kick off another 35 years of impact in Québec's life sciences industry,"  said Maxime Pesant, Vice-President, Private Equity and Impact Investing – Life Sciences, at the Fonds. 

Despite the tumultuous economic climate, Québec stands out in the life sciences sector for its solid infrastructure, high-level scientific expertise and growing demand for innovative healthcare solutions. 

About the Fonds de solidarité FTQ 

The Fonds de solidarité FTQ is a source of pride in Québec, fulfilling its mission through a unique business model created more than 40 years ago. Since then, the Fonds has rallied Québec into action thanks to the retirement savings of 795,374 shareholders. 

With net assets of $21.7 billion as at November 30, 2024, the Fonds supports nearly 4,000 companies through direct and indirect venture and development capital investments based on the belief that impact is created as much by financial as societal returns. For more information, visit fondsftq.com or our company page on LinkedIn.