The future of Québec businesses depends on planning their succession

March 30,  2026

The Semaine nationale du repreneuriat [Business Transfer Week] brings renewed focus to a pressing issue. Over the coming year, nearly 16,000 Québec business owners¹ are expected to consider selling their companies, with significant implications for Québec's economy.

These businesses are far more than balance sheets or transactions in the making. They support hundreds of thousands of workers, keep decision-making centres in Québec and sustain thousands of suppliers across the province. In many cases, the economic vitality of entire regions depends on their local presence.

No one can meet this challenge alone. Everyone has a role to play in ensuring that businesses founded in Québec remain in Quebecers' hands. At the Fonds de solidarité FTQ, we take that responsibility seriously. For years, we have helped hundreds of businesses navigate ownership transitions by providing investment, guidance and hands-on support.

With a strong network of partners, specialists across Québec and a deep understanding of business succession, we are fully mobilized. Because transferring a business is never just a transaction. It is a process.

Every successful transfer begins with owners contemplating retirement or a new chapter. The future of the business they built, and the jobs it supports, depends above all on one critical factor: planning.

Too often, that planning is left too late. Many entrepreneurs lack a clear succession plan or underestimate the time required to prepare. A business transfer cannot be improvised. It involves human, financial, tax, legal and operational considerations that require time, advice and a careful assessment of options. Developing a structured plan can take more than a year.

At the same time, the human dimension should not be underestimated. Letting go of a lifetime's work is an emotional step. Planning early brings clarity and stability to what can otherwise be a deeply unsettling transition—for entrepreneurs and those around them.

Poorly planned transfers can have serious consequences. Sellers may face significant tax impacts, while buyers may take on excessive debt that limits growth, investment and innovation.

Operational continuity must also be protected. Whether the succession is family-based, internal or external, change is inevitable. A well-prepared and well-communicated transition reassures workers, clients and suppliers while positioning the business for continued growth.

At the Fonds de solidarité FTQ, we urge Québec entrepreneurs to start planning now—to think ahead and prepare the next chapter, even if it is not immediate.

Because the stakes go beyond individual businesses. They extend to Québec's economy as a whole.

Dany Pelletier, Executive Vice-President, Private Equity and Impact Investing

¹ Source : Repreneuriat Québec, March 25, 2026, press release, Près de 16 000 entreprises québécoises ont l’intention de vendre au cours des 12 prochains mois - Repreneuriat Québec.

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This op-ed was published in Le Soleil on March 30, 2026.