"Like Israel, Quebec has always looked beyond its borders"
In an exclusive interview with CTech, Alik Hakobyan, Director of the newly opened Quebec office in Tel Aviv, discusses Quebec’s first Middle East office and how the province plans to strengthen ties with Israel’s innovation ecosystem.
"Quebec is not well known to the Israeli public," says Alik Hakobyan, Director of the Canadian province’s newly opened government office in Tel Aviv. "Unlike other regions where people are familiar with what Quebec has to offer, here we have much more work to do."
For years, Quebec has maintained a presence on the world stage unlike any other Canadian province, operating a network of 34 offices in 19 countries. Its international engagement extends beyond trade, incorporating diplomacy, cultural exchange, and strategic partnerships. Yet, until recently and despite its deep global ties, Quebec had no representation in the Middle East. The decision to open an office in Israel, finalized in 2023, reflects a long-standing effort to expand the province’s presence in regions where it can build meaningful collaborations.
"There has long been a desire to have a presence in the Middle East," Hakobyan says. "Other than Australia, this was the only region where Quebec didn’t have representation. This is a strategic step for us."
Unlike most international offices that focus primarily on commerce, Quebec’s mission in Israel is centered on research, technology, and innovation. The French-speaking province and Israel share key economic characteristics: both have small but highly skilled populations, economies dominated by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and a strong emphasis on research and development as a driver of growth.
"The Israeli market is small—about the same size as Quebec’s—so this isn’t just about selling products," Hakobyan explains. "What we’re really interested in is R&D, in creating partnerships that strengthen both of our innovation ecosystems."
Related articles:
Quebec is itself a major tech and innovation hub, with Montreal ranked among the world’s top centers for artificial intelligence, attracting more than $11 billion in investment. The province is also a major player in aerospace, with Montreal ranking as the third-largest global hub after Toulouse and Seattle. Its life sciences industry includes more than 660 companies specializing in biotechnology, biopharmaceuticals, and medical technologies. Quebec has also built a reputation in quantum computing, advanced manufacturing, and renewable energy, with research hubs in Sherbrooke, Montreal, Bromont, and Mauricie.
As Quebec has strengthened its focus on innovation, it has also deepened efforts to collaborate with Israeli counterparts. In 2022, the Quebec Research Fund and Israel’s Ministry of Science and Technology signed an agreement to jointly fund research in bioconvergence, AI, and quantum technology. Three projects were launched, each receiving $300,000 in funding split between the two governments.
"Our cooperation with Israel is a win-win," Hakobyan says. "We have something to learn, but also something to offer. Quebec has built an incredible research ecosystem, and Israel has mastered the art of turning research into global business success.”
Israel’s ability to rapidly scale startups and bring innovations to market is a model Quebec wants to emulate. The province has world-class researchers and institutions but has often been slower to commercialize scientific breakthroughs.
"Why is Israel a startup nation? Because everything moves fast here. If a company succeeds, great. If not, no problem, they’ll try something else," he says. "Israelis take risks much more easily than we do. In Quebec, we sometimes hesitate, but here, there’s a culture of thinking globally from day one. That’s an approach we can adopt."
At the same time, Quebec is positioning itself as an attractive destination for Israeli businesses looking to expand into North America. The province offers significant financial incentives, with investment savings of up to 50 percent, resources that can be reinvested in growth, talent, and innovation. With a highly skilled workforce and strong research institutions, Quebec is marketing itself as an alternative to the U.S. for Israeli companies seeking a foothold in the region.
Beyond economic partnerships, the Tel Aviv office is also focused on raising Quebec’s profile in Israel. "We want to demystify Quebec’s unique identity as the only French-speaking state in North America," he says. "We are different from the rest of Canada in our culture, our language, and the way we engage with the world."
Cultural and academic exchanges are another key focus of the office. Quebec is home to three of Canada’s top research universities - McGill, Université de Montréal, and Université Laval - which collectively attract nearly 50,000 international students annually. The city is also a global hub for video game development, film production, and visual effects - industries that are gaining traction in Israel.
Diplomatic ties between Quebec and Israel stretch back decades. In 1949, Israel opened its first North American diplomatic mission in Montreal, home to one of Canada’s largest and oldest Jewish communities, years before establishing an embassy in Ottawa. Quebec has maintained steady relations with Israel for more than 60 years, guided by the Gérin-Lajoie doctrine, which affirms the province’s right to engage in international relations in areas such as education, culture, and economic development.
The timing of the office’s opening has not been without challenges. The October 7th attacks and the ongoing war in Gaza have shifted the region’s geopolitical landscape, creating uncertainty for economic and diplomatic partnerships. "We hope things will stabilize, of course, but our work continues," Hakobyan says. "We are here, and we are here to stay."
Quebec’s expansion into the Middle East is about more than trade—it is a reflection of its broader global ambitions. With a GDP of nearly $505 billion and the lowest unemployment rate in Canada, the province is an economic powerhouse in its own right. 98% of businesses in Quebec are SMEs, providing 92% of private-sector jobs - an economic model that closely mirrors Israel’s. Both Quebec and Israel, despite their size, have built reputations as leaders in innovation, proving that global influence is not just a matter of scale but of ambition and vision.
"Like Israel, Quebec has always looked beyond its borders," Hakobyan says. "This is just the next step."
