Économie de Montréal

[mtlurb]

Le 2022-11-03 à 19:48, Lappy a dit :

Ne pas rire trop vite : « It appears that Tesla's recruiting efforts are escalating in Quebec. In September, the company posted a recruiter position in Montreal, and now a Recruiting Coordinator posting in LAVAL (😝). The job details state the successful candidate will work closely with high-volume recruiters in a fast-paced organization. »

 https://www.notateslaapp.com/news/1036/tesla-connected-to-two-north-american-expansion-rumors

Un ami à Laval viens d'être embauché par Tesla... après 9 entrevue. (WTF)

[mtlurb]

Is the Michelin Guide snubbing Montreal restaurants, or vice versa?

The world-renowned restaurant rater has come to Canada, handing out stars to top Toronto and Vancouver eateries. Why is Montreal not on the radar?

T'Cha Dunlevy

 •  Montreal Gazette

Nov 05, 2022  •  15 hours ago  •  13 minute read  •  15 Comments 

Frédéric Morin, chef and co-owner of Joe Beef, Vin Papillon, Liverpool House and McKiernan, doesn’t think local chefs have “this level of enthusiasm” for the Michelin Guide “that people expect all chefs to have.” Photo by Allen McInnis /Montreal Gazette

Jean-Christophe Poirier never dreamed he would one day be the owner of a Michelin-starred restaurant.

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“In my whole career, which is over 26 years of cooking, I never thought I would touch a Michelin star. I never thought they would come to Canada. It’s surreal,” said the chef and owner of St. Lawrence, a French- and Quebec-inspired restaurant in Vancouver, B.C., which was one of eight restaurants to receive one star when the prestigious Michelin Guide revealed its Vancouver edition at the end of October.

The Michelin Guide has indeed come to Canada, but not everywhere in Canada. The Michelin Guide Toronto was published online at the end of September, followed by Vancouver. So far, that’s it. All of which begs the question: What about Montreal?

Our city has long prided itself on being the hippest, coolest and most cultured of Canadian metropolises, and our restaurant scene is no exception. Without the flash and cash of high-end eateries in Toronto and Vancouver, Montreal’s many chef-owned and operated restaurants have flair, and savoir faire, you won’t find anywhere else.

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Poirier, who was born in St-Jérôme and cut his teeth at Montreal’s Toqué! before moving to Vancouver in 2004 and opening St. Lawrence in 2017, knows if he had remained in Montreal he wouldn’t have even had a chance at a Michelin star — at least not yet.

“In a way, (moving here) was like a blessing,” he said. “I’ve had so much success with St. Lawrence because it’s totally different from what’s going on in the restaurant scene in Vancouver. If I was in Quebec, it wouldn’t be that much of a big deal. People are so used to that style of cuisine.”

St. Lawrence “is an opportunity for me to showcase our Québécois culture, the way we think about food and our approach to it.”

“I think a lot of Montreal restaurants are excellent, but because we don’t have a tradition of Michelin Guides here, we didn’t build restaurants based on the Michelin goal,” says former Gazette fine-dining critic and cookbook author Lesley Chesterman. Would one of her favourites, L’Express, make the cut? Photo by Pierre Obendrauf /Montreal Gazette

Is the Michelin Guide snubbing Montreal? Or is Montreal snubbing the Michelin Guide?

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Montrealers should not feel slighted that the Michelin Guide went to Toronto first, or Vancouver second, according to former Montreal Gazette fine-dining critic Lesley Chesterman — for one very simple reason: those cities paid for the privilege.

Michelin requires a hefty fee to cover the costs of a partnership with a city. Amounts can range from a few hundred thousand dollars into the millions. Such deals raise big questions about where Michelin decides to go and when.

“(Michelin going to Toronto first) is really just a matter of Toronto paying first,” said Chesterman, who is the author of two new cookbooks, Make Every Dish Delicious and Un week-end chez Lesley. “It doesn’t make Toronto a better city; people in Toronto know Montreal is a better restaurant city.”

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Chesterman is more critical of the restaurants that made the Michelin Guide’s Toronto list. The top Toronto restaurant, according to the guide — and the only one to receive two stars — is Sushi Masaki Saito, headed by star chef Masaki Saito, who was flown in from New York (where his Sushi Ginza Onodera restaurant also has two stars). Five of the 13 Toronto restaurants to receive Michelin stars are Japanese.

“What happened to local flavour?” Chesterman wondered. “Toronto is more Chinese than Japanese, but people are coming in and opening high-end sushi places, and Michelin likes expensive restaurants.”

Michelin has tried to offset its snooty reputation with the addition of “Michelin recommended” and “Bib Gourmand” non-starred restaurant mentions in its guides, the latter reserved for “great food at great value.”

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The Michelin Guide Toronto features 74 restaurants, in total, and 27 types of cuisine. Among the city’s 17 Bib Gourmands is SumiLicious Smoked Meat & Deli, opened in Scarborough in 2018 by Sri Lankan-Canadian Sumith Fernando, who spent 16 years learning the tricks of the trade at Montreal’s Schwartz’s before setting out to perfect his own recipe.

Feel-good stories aside, anyone can buy their way to a Michelin-starred restaurant, Chesterman opines — even if they’re not paying Michelin directly.

“You need a fantastic chef,” she said, “an amazing location, beautiful china, an amazing wine list and incredible service.”

Montreal’s top gastronomic venue has long been Toqué!, but Chesterman wonders if pioneering chef Normand Laprise’s famed restaurant would obtain even two stars, according to Michelin’s exacting requirements.

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“It depends if you hit it on a good day,” she said.

“I think a lot of Montreal restaurants are excellent, but because we don’t have a tradition of Michelin Guides here, we didn’t build restaurants based on the Michelin goal. In France, the Michelin Guides have existed for over 100 years, so a lot of young chefs build their restaurant according to what gets a star.

“Take a Montreal restaurant like Foxy, which is a great restaurant but not according to what gets a star. So it’s odd to think of Michelin coming, when they’re not part of our culture. It’s a strange situation — a guide coming in and evaluating us according to their standards, not ours.”

Despite her reservations, Chesterman believes Montreal could benefit from the prestige of the Michelin Guide. Our city’s restaurants have long been overlooked, internationally, remaining something of a best-kept secret.

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“In the end, I’m happy if Michelin gives us more clout on the international gastronomic stage,” Chesterman said. “Then it’s worth it.”

Jean-Christophe Poirier’s French- and Quebec-themed restaurant St. Lawrence recently received one star from the Michelin Guide Vancouver. “It’s surreal,” he says. Photo by Carlo Ricci

The Michelin Guide was founded in France in 1900 “to accompany travelers and food lovers into their journey, by providing them with a selection of outstanding restaurants, following our criteria and methodology,” said Gwendal Poullennec, international director of the Michelin Guides, by email.

Others have pointed out it was an initiative of the tire company, founded in 1889 by brothers Édouard and André Michelin, to get French people to drive their cars more and thereby use their tires.

The Michelin Guide began attributing single stars in 1926, with two- and three-star rankings introduced five years later. The Guide now rates over 30,000 establishments (including over 16,000 restaurants) in more than 30 territories on three continents. The foray into North America began in 2005, in New York City. (Michelin no longer publishes printed guides in North America; it’s all digital on guide.michelin.com and a free app.)

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Each restaurant is visited by several inspectors over the course of a year. Michelin inspectors remain anonymous and independent, and review restaurants based on five criteria, which Poullennec lists as: “quality of products, mastery of cooking techniques, harmony and balance of flavours, personality of the chef as expressed in the plate, and consistency both through time and the menu as a whole.”

The selection of every new destination by the Michelin Guide is “the result of a long-term process,” he said. “For years now, we’ve been observing the culinary potential of Toronto and Vancouver, and for us, those cities’ culinary scenes were mature enough, with many diverse and high-quality offers … to be highlighted.”

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Asked if a Montreal edition of the Michelin Guide is on the horizon, Poullennec responded: “We don’t currently have any news to share about upcoming Canadian destinations. … If a Montreal selection would be made, it would be done collegially by our anonymous and independent inspectors, based on the culinary potential of the city.”

As for the fees demanded from cities by the Michelin Guide, Poullennec said, “We do work with tourism organizations on marketing and promotional efforts” to “promote the culinary offerings in the area.”

These organizations contribute “a certain amount to cover some of the costs incurred in establishing a Guide in a new location,” he acknowledged, without providing specifics. “We cannot discuss commercial terms of partnerships for competitive reasons.”

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Toronto paid initial fees for Michelin inspectors to visit the city for months at a time beginning in late 2017 and early 2018, Destination Toronto’s executive vice-president Andrew Weir told Toronto Life. The arrangement “evolved into a broader marketing partnership,” with the money coming from Destination Toronto, Destination Ontario and Destination Canada. Weir calls it “a long-term opportunity for Toronto.”

While tourism bureaus are integral to the process, they have no control over the content of the Michelin Guide, Poullennec said, noting the company has developed “a unique methodology … to ensure that each selection is done equitably.”

“I’ll be straight-up honest, I’m not a Michelin Guide person,” says Dyan Solomon, the chef and co-owner of Montreal’s Foxy restaurant, bakery Olive + Gourmando and café Un Po Di Più. “It’s not my favourite way of eating.” Photo by John Mahoney /Montreal Gazette

The financial requirement of securing a partnership with Michelin means any path to attracting the guide to our city would have to pass through official channels — Michelin only works with publicly funded organizations that have a mandate from the city.

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There is no sign of imminent action from Montreal. The city did not respond to the Gazette’s request for comment for this story.

“Tourism Montreal is committed to promoting Montreal as a gastronomic city, and we’re proud to appear on different best-of lists,” said Aurélie de Blois, spokesperson for Tourism Montreal, in a statement via email.

“While we’re not against the Michelin Guide, or any other culinary recognition, the will to bring the Michelin Guide to Montreal must come from the milieu. It’s up to the restaurateurs to demonstrate the need and desire for such recognition. We remain open, and we will be there to support restaurant owners on the star-lit path, should the need arise.”

De Blois says Tourism Montreal has had no communication with the Michelin Guide about a possible partnership or the financial implications thereof.

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Dyan Solomon, left, with chef Catherine Couvet Desrosiers at Foxy restaurant. A Michelin star “brings business, but it also brings a tremendous amount of stress for many people,” Solomon says. Photo by John Mahoney /Montreal Gazette

Dyan Solomon couldn’t care less about the Michelin Guide.

“I’ll be straight-up honest, I’m not a Michelin Guide person,” said the chef and co-owner of Montreal’s Foxy restaurant, bakery Olive + Gourmando and café Un Po Di Più alongside Éric Girard, whom she met and trained with at Toqué!

“It’s not my favourite way of eating,” Solomon continued. “A restaurant that would be a classic three-star restaurant — I’m not interested in eating in that kind of restaurant. I really like rustic, neighbourhood dining spots, chef-owned places driven by local flavours and cuisine. That’s been consistent through my whole culinary journey.”

Solomon points to the controversies surrounding the Michelin Guide in recent years, with some famous chefs symbolically refusing their stars, saying they don’t need the pressure.

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“Yes, (a Michelin star) brings business, but it also brings a tremendous amount of stress for many people,” Solomon said. “My god, I am so over all of the ways to rate and categorize a restaurant. We are the most scrutinized business in the world. If there’s one more f—ing rating system, I’m going to shoot myself.

“We’re just cooks, we’re artisans, most of us are barely business people but we have to figure that out. And now there’s Canada’s 100 best, San Pellegrino’s best, En Route’s Best New Restaurants guide, it never ends.”

The challenges of running a restaurant have only increased in recent years, according to Solomon, who points to the COVID-19 pandemic and the staff shortages and rising wages that have resulted from it, along with the soaring price of food.

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Mario Brossoit, co-owner of L’Express, agrees. While his beloved St-Denis St. bistro could use the turbo boost of the Michelin Guide, he says, “It’s a double-edged sword. With the pandemic, Montreal restaurants are in a bad place.”

Staff shortages have led to reduced operating hours, he noted. “If we are judged harshly on that, it won’t be advantageous for restaurants anywhere.”

Chesterman says she tried to get a table at L’Express all summer, to no avail — a situation she attributes to restaurants reducing their hours, and  being busier during the hours they’re open as a result.

Brossoit is not against the Michelin Guide, he said, “but if I had the choice, I would rather not be critiqued at this time.”

Solomon questions whether Montreal needs the added scrutiny of the Michelin Guide at any time.

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“Montreal is already on its own, in an underground way,” she said. “We are the culinary city of Canada. People know — real eaters, not foodies, people who really enjoy eating a myriad of types of cuisines and really like restaurants know this is a chef-driven city. We have a lot of restaurants owned by chefs, whereas bigger cities have restaurants owned by corporate groups.

“Montreal is less expensive, with a restaurant scene that is quite beautiful. I just hope all that doesn’t get destroyed by Michelin. We have a beautiful ecosystem here.”

“We have a dining community, a restaurant community here that is personalized by the warmth of the reception and service, and our food is not the same as everywhere else,” says chef Frédéric Morin.Photo by Allen McInnis /Montreal Gazette

“I don’t think we have many three-star restaurants in Montreal,” said Frédéric Morin, chef and co-owner of Montreal institution Joe Beef, Vin Papillon, Liverpool House and McKiernan. “I don’t think we have many two-star restaurants. But I do think that what makes Montreal a city people want to come visit, what makes it a city I want to live in and have restaurants in, and that I enjoy dining out in, is that a lot of our restaurants are one-star.

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“We have a dining community, a restaurant community here that is personalized by the warmth of the reception and service, and our food is not the same as everywhere else. The food of a population is the food they eat on any given night. So Montreal is more defined by its hospitality and the snowbanks you step over to get into a French brasserie or a cocktail bar in Chinatown. And I don’t think we have this level of enthusiasm (for the Michelin Guide) that people expect all chefs to have.”

Morin lists Toqué! and Antonin Mousseau-Rivard and Katerine Mousseau’s Le Mousso among the few Montreal restaurants that could dare aspire to two, let alone three Michelin stars. And he wonders how the other restaurants he loves, such as Au Pied de Cochon, L’Express, Café Entre-Deux or Faros, would benefit from the Michelin Guide’s critical eye.

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“You invite somebody here to tell you you suck, basically,” he said. “I don’t know if it’s because we lost our baseball team, but we always feel the urge to be on the map. We think we’re not on the map, but Montreal has been Montreal for a long time.”

“Michelin can come here,” says Normand Laprise, the chef and owner of Toqué! and Brasserie T! “I have no problem with that.” He just hopes the judging process would be fair, and adapted to local realities and customs. Photo by Dave Sidaway /Montreal Gazette

Laprise is “almost happy” Michelin went to Toronto and Vancouver first.

“It allows us to understand what they want to do in Canada,” said the chef and owner of Toqué! and Brasserie T!, who has been named a knight of the National Order of Quebec and a member of the Order of Canada for his promotion of Quebec cuisine.

The Michelin Guide is a rigorous European institution that functions according to precise guidelines, Laprise explained, and he is curious how its approach will translate to evaluating Canadian restaurants.

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“Michelin can come here,” he said, “I have no problem with that.”

He just hopes the judging process is fair, and adapted to local realities and customs. Already, he has noted some curious omissions in the Michelin Guide’s Toronto and Vancouver editions.

He has no expectations regarding ratings for his restaurants, in the case of an eventual visit from Michelin inspectors.

“I don’t think Montreal is three-star city,” Laprise said. “With the economy we have, we couldn’t be. But the gastronomy here is super interesting. It’s defined, well-constructed, and deserves (Michelin) stars and recognition, for sure.”

The visibility that comes with a visit from the Michelin Guide is not to be overlooked, he added.

“Montreal doesn’t need Michelin to confirm that it’s a ‘ville gastronomique,’ but to be recognized by Michelin would be magnifique.”

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As exciting as it was to think of the world-renowned Michelin Guide coming to Montreal, Liza Frulla, director of the Institut de tourisme et d’hôtellerie du Québec and chair of the board of directors of Destination Canada, wondered: “At what price?” Photo by Dave Sidaway /Montreal Gazette

Liza Frulla, director of the Institut de tourisme et d’hôtellerie du Québec, where many of the province’s chefs are trained, and chair of the board of directors of Destination Canada, believes Michelin should not be singling out individual cities but should publish a Canadian guide highlighting the top restaurants across the country.

“This would alleviate the pressure on the chefs (in each city),” she said, “and it allows for a focus on the different regions: Ontario, British Columbia, Quebec, Winnipeg, the Maritimes — they have very good tables in the Maritimes, but those cities cannot pay the price Michelin is asking.

“What bothers me is that a city that wants to pay the Michelin price gets it, and good for them. … But (Canada is) a vast country and we have a lot of talented chefs.”

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Frulla first heard word the Michelin Guide was interested in coming to Canada while on a trip to France in 2018 for the Bocuse d’Or, a biennial world chef competition. She returned to Montreal and began polling local chefs to determine the level of interest in bringing the Michelin Guide here.

“The chefs at the beginning said no — highly regarded chefs,” she recalled. “The community was saying, ‘We don’t really want Michelin. We don’t want to compete against each other. We want to build a community that works with each other.’”

As exciting as it was to think of the world-renowned Michelin Guide coming to our city, Frulla wondered, “At what price?”

And so Toronto and Vancouver have become the first Canadian cities to ink deals with the Michelin Guide, while Montreal watches with an air of bemused curiosity.

Frulla still doesn’t sense any urgency to get the Michelin Guide here.

“What (Montreal chefs are) saying is there are other means to position ourselves as a gastronomical destination in Canada,” she said.

“I’m not against what Toronto and Vancouver did; but … Montreal is going another route for now.”

tdunlevy@postmedia.com

twitter.com/TChaDunlevy

https://montrealgazette.com/life/food/is-the-michelin-guide-snubbing-montreal-restaurants-or-vice-versa

[mtlurb]

MTY Food Group buying Wetzel's Pretzels for $284 million in cash

The Montreal restaurant giant paid a premium for the growing U.S. chain, analysts say.

The Canadian Press 

Stéphane Rolland 

Nov 02, 2022  •  3 days ago  •  2 minute read  •  Join the conversation 

Pretzels being made at a Wetzel's Pretzels kiosk. Photo by John Lucas /Edmonton Journal files

Montreal franchisor MTY Food Group is diversifying its plate, signing an agreement to buy the parent company of the Wetzel’s Pretzels chain for $284 million in cash.

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MTY chief executive Eric Lefebvre says the deal adds an iconic brand to MTY’s U.S. portfolio and strengthens its position in the snack category.

Wetzel’s Pretzels is a franchisor and operator with a network of over 350 locations, 90 per cent of which are franchised. The chain has locations in 25 states in the U.S., as well as in Canada and Panama.

The deal is subject to customary closing conditions including regulatory approvals.

MTY franchises and operates restaurants under about 90 different banners in Canada, the United States and internationally, including Bâton Rouge, Ben & Florentine, Café Dépôt, Casa Grecque, Cultures, Dagwoods, La Diperie, Mikes, Scores, Sushi Shop, Thai Express, Tiki-Ming and Valentine.

With the transaction, MTY acquires a growing concept, notes John Zamparo of CIBC World Markets. “It’s an internal growth vehicle, more than necessary.”

Before the pandemic disrupted the restaurant industry, MTY had a reputation of growing through acquisitions, with more modest growth in its existing activities. Wetzel’s sales have grown at an annual rate of 12 per cent from 2019 to 2021, Zamparo notes. “Most of the growth comes from comparable sales, even if the number of establishments increased at a rate of 1.5 per cent annually since 2018.”

Derek J. Lessard of TD Securities notes that MTY is paying more than it did for previous transactions. “Management has not given a lot of financial details, but we think they paid about 12 times earnings before interest, taxation and amortization (EBITDA). Unless we can show a potential cost cutting, this multiple is at the height of the fork that MTY has paid in the past.”

Zamparo said while he also found the transaction was a higher price, “we note that it offers a higher growth profile than previous deals and diversifies activities beyond office buildings.”

This acquisition follows that of BBQ Holdings in August for US$200 million. With the two acquisitions, the United States goes from 58 per cent of MTY’s sales to 70 per cent.

Management estimates the transaction should close within 30-45 days.

MTY’s shares closed up 6.03 per cent Wednesday to $57.89 on the Toronto Stock Exchange.

https://montrealgazette.com/business/local-business/mty-food-group-buying-wetzels-pretzels-for-284-million-in-cash

[Normand Hamel]

Justin Trudeau visite le site de la nouvelle usine de Moderna à Laval

Le premier ministre Justin Trudeau s’est rendu à Laval lundi pour visiter le site de la future usine de vaccins à ARN messager de la compagnie pharmaceutique Moderna. Les installations, qui devraient entrer en fonction en 2024, permettront de fabriquer 100 millions de doses de vaccin ARNm au Canada chaque année et de réduire la dépendance du Canada aux vaccins produits à l'étranger.

Le Canada est en train d’assurer son approvisionnement en vaccins pour les décennies à venir, a indiqué Justin Trudeau. Il a ajouté que les investissements de Moderna au Canada s'inscrivent dans un écosystème biopharmaceutique qui va assurer le bien-être de tous les Canadiens.

L’implantation de l’usine de Moderna à Laval est un bon pas dans la bonne direction pour garder les Canadiens en santé et garantir la place du Canada dans le secteur de la biofabrication.

Le premier ministre a salué le rôle des jeunes et des étudiants qui veulent faire [leur] part pour rendre le monde meilleur, et dont Moderna va avoir besoin en créant des centaines de bons emplois.

Durant la pandémie, le gouvernement du Canada avait promis d’assurer la santé et la sécurité des Canadiens, et c’est un autre exemple d’une promesse qui se concrétise, a noté pour sa part le ministre de l’Innovation, des Sciences et de l’Industrie, François-Philippe Champagne. 

La construction de l’usine de Moderna est le début d’un écosystème qui va placer Montréal et Laval au cœur de la production de vaccins, a-t-il souligné

Pour M. Champagne, les nouvelles installations vont participer au développement de la prochaine génération de vaccins à ARN messager, non seulement contre la COVID-19, mais également contre les virus respiratoires et d’autres infections.

L'investissement de Moderna à Laval va ainsi permettre d’injecter des millions de dollars en recherche et en développement, notamment grâce à un partenariat avec l’Université McGill.

La pandémie nous a rendus craintifs quant à l’approvisionnement de vaccins, a pour sa part insisté le ministre québécois délégué à l’Économie et ministre responsable de la région de Laval, Christopher Skeete.

La production locale va permettre d’accroître notre autonomie, et créer des opportunités d’innover ici, a-t-il insisté.

Un travail de longue haleine

L’entreprise américaine Moderna avait annoncé en août avoir signé un contrat d’achat d’un terrain au parc biotechnologique de Laval avec l’Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS). 

La construction de l’usine est évaluée à 180 millions de dollars et les travaux ont commencé. Une fois achevée, l’usine pourrait employer jusqu’à 75 personnes dans les opérations de fabrication de vaccins.

Moderna va créer des emplois hautement qualifiés dans l’écosystème des sciences de la vie, a rappelé la présidente-directrice générale de Moderna Canada, Patricia Gauthier. La compagnie pharmaceutique a obtenu des résultats rapides et significatifs dans ses travaux pour fabriquer un vaccin contre la COVID-19, et elle pense que les nouvelles installations construites à Laval contribueront à développer de nouvelles technologies avec les vaccins à ARN messager.

Pour le président de Moderna, Stephen Hoge, Laval est une maison pour nous pour le futur. Les nouvelles installations vont permettre non seulement d’approvisionner le Canada en vaccins locaux pour la prochaine pandémie, mais grâce à la collaboration avec l’Université McGill, la compagnie va être en mesure de développer d’autres médicaments et d’autres vaccins, même contre le cancer, s’est-il avancé.

Le maire de Laval, Stéphane Boyer, a quant à lui rappelé que le développement de la Cité de la Biotech a permis à plus d’une d’entreprise de s’installer dans la ville et de créer plus de 5000 emplois. La construction de la nouvelle usine de Moderna est le premier pas dans l’agrandissement de ce quartier. Je suis fier comme maire d’accueillir l’avenir en science et en médecine, a-t-il affirmé.

L’entente signée entre le gouvernement fédéral et Moderna pour installer une usine au Canada a été signée en 2021. Elle vise la diminution de la dépendance du Canada aux vaccins importés de l’étranger.

Le ministre Champagne ne s’est toutefois pas avancé sur le pourcentage de la production de vaccins produits à Laval qui sera acheté par le Canada, mais il s’agira d’un approvisionnement stratégique, a-t-il conclu.

https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1930936/justin-trudeau-moderna-laval-production-vaccins-canada

[LindbergMTL]

et après Moderna, Tesla?

[acpnc]

Le président de Shopify rentre à Montréal

PHOTO FOURNIE PAR FINANCE MONTRÉAL

Harley Finkelstein était l’un des invités d’honneur, lundi soir, au souper d’ouverture du Forum Fintech organisé à l’hôtel Fairmont Le Reine Elizabeth, au centre-ville de Montréal.

Profitant lui aussi de la politique de télétravail de l’entreprise d’Ottawa, le président de Shopify, fournisseur de solutions de commerce électronique, a décidé de rentrer à Montréal après avoir longuement envisagé un déménagement à Miami ou à New York.

Publié à 5h00

 

https://www.lapresse.ca/affaires/entreprises/2022-11-10/le-president-de-shopify-rentre-a-montreal.php

Richard Dufour La Presse

Harley Finkelstein vient d’acheter une maison à Montréal et c’est ici qu’il entend s’installer dans quelques mois avec sa femme et leurs deux filles.

C’est en quelque sorte un retour aux sources pour ce natif de Montréal ayant toutefois grandi dans le sud de la Floride. Actuellement installé à Ottawa, où se trouve le siège social de Shopify, Harley Finkelstein vit dans la région de la capitale nationale depuis 2005.

« Après mûre réflexion, ma femme et moi avons décidé que Montréal est l’endroit où nous souhaitons vivre et élever nos jeunes enfants », explique celui qui a eu 39 ans mardi.

 

« Puisque Shopify permet de travailler de n’importe où, nous pouvions essentiellement choisir de déménager à n’importe quel endroit dans le monde », dit-il.

Nous avons établi notre top 3 [New York, Miami et Montréal] et avons choisi Montréal après avoir passé un certain temps dans chacune de ces trois villes au cours de la dernière année.

Harley Finkelstein, président de Shopify

Harley Finkelstein entend maintenant s’établir officiellement à Montréal l’été prochain.

« Il n’y a tout simplement aucune autre ville qui se compare à Montréal », lance-t-il.

« Montréal l’a emporté sur New York et Miami en raison de sa culture, de son énergie et de ses gens. Et nous adorons l’idée du bilinguisme », dit-il en précisant que sa femme, Lindsay Taub, parle couramment français et que ses enfants suivent des cours de français.

PHOTO FOURNIE PAR HARLEY FINKELSTEIN

Harley Finkelstein avec sa femme, Lindsay Taub, et leurs filles

S’il comprend très bien le français et le parle lui aussi, il soutient néanmoins avec humilité avoir encore un « petit bout de chemin » à faire avant de parler français aussi bien que sa femme.

« Une chose que j’aime beaucoup à l’idée de déménager à Montréal, dit-il, est le fait que mes enfants seront plus près de leurs grands-parents et de leurs arrière-grands-parents, qui vivent tous à Montréal. »

Retour aux sources

Il explique que sa décision a moins à voir avec le désir de quitter Ottawa qu’avec le besoin de rentrer à Montréal. « Ça n’a pas été une décision facile. Ottawa est l’endroit où j’ai rencontré ma femme et où nous avons bâti Shopify. C’est une ville magnifique. La famille est extrêmement importante pour moi. Et c’est à Montréal que mes parents et certains de mes meilleurs amis habitent. C’est aussi là que ma famille a immigré et que mon grand-père a lancé son entreprise [Les Œufs du Capitaine, au marché Jean-Talon]. »

Lorsqu’on lui demande s’il y a des projets dans lesquels il entend s’impliquer une fois qu’il sera de retour à Montréal, Harley Finkelstein affirme qu’il aimerait aider des entrepreneurs et appuyer de jeunes entreprises.

Son site web (harleyf.com) indique qu’il soutient d’ailleurs déjà financièrement plus d’une trentaine de jeunes pousses.

Impliqué dans la communauté juive canadienne, notamment dans un projet à Ottawa, il aimerait s’engager de la même façon à Montréal.

Il dit aussi qu’il a toujours aimé passer du temps avec des étudiants en commerce. « Alors en tant qu’ancien étudiant des universités McGill et Concordia, vous allez peut-être m’apercevoir à l’occasion dans les couloirs des pavillons universitaires. »

Haute direction dispersée

La décision de Harley Finkelstein fait en sorte que les membres de la haute direction de Shopify seront bientôt tous dispersés un peu partout en Amérique du Nord.

Le chef des finances de Shopify, Jeff Hoffmeister, habite à New York. Le chef des technologies, Allan Leinwand, vit à San Francisco. Le chef de la direction de l’entreprise, Tobias Lütke, est à Ottawa.

Shopify est un fournisseur de solutions de commerce électronique qui pendant un bon moment l’année dernière était considéré comme la plus grosse entreprise au pays, avec une valeur boursière supérieure à 200 milliards de dollars.

À son plus haut niveau, son action valait plus de 2000 $ à la Bourse de Toronto.

Le titre — fractionné à raison de dix actions pour une plus tôt cette année — s’est toutefois fortement replié depuis un an, une glissade amplifiée par le recul généralisé des titres dans le secteur des technologies.

La valeur boursière de Shopify s’élève aujourd’hui à une cinquantaine de milliards.

 

[mtlurb]

Medici XD announces Medici Interactive opening in Montréal

Adam Whittaker

Medici XD, the acclaimed Nashville-based experience development firm, announced today that David Fugère-Lamarre of iLLOGIKA has teamed with Medici and been named president of Medici Interactive. In this role, Fugère-Lamarre will lead the Medici Interactive office in Montréal, which is now open for business in the popular Mile End district.

Medici XD was formed just one year ago to combine five critical disciplines under a single corporate umbrella – Medici Media, Interactive, Machines, Theatrical, and Labs.

Fugère-Lamarre brings years of experience in both gaming and interactive development to Medici Interactive. Specialising in game-engine development including real-time rendering, software and backend development, and human user interface, Fugère-Lamarre is renowned for bringing thoughtful design and meaningful interaction to his projects.

A demanding audience

iLLOGIKA has been developing games since 2009 and has operated its award-winning immersive division for the past five years. In that time the studio has gained a wide technical knowledge of real-time engines such as Unreal and Unity as well as specific hardware integration solutions that push the boundaries of interactivity. Fugère-Lamarre adds: “Interactivity is all about increasing the fun, the engagement, and replayability to bring more value to an ever more demanding audience.”

Through Medici Interactive, the company says it will tap into the rich multimedia and game design creative community in Montréal. “This is the confluence of North America and Europe,” Fugère-Lamarre said. “It is a one-of-a-kind mix of old-world with the modern world and there’s nowhere else like Montréal for making creative ideas like this happen.”

“We have the best”

Several key individuals from iLLOGIKA are joining Fugère-Lamarre at Medici Interactive, with Denis Huot as director of business development and a new head of studio to oversee daily operations.  

“Six months ago, we told the world we would have a world-class interactive division,” said Daren Ulmer, chief creative executive and co-founder of Medici XD. “Today – with the addition of David and the iLLOGIKA team – we now have the best!”

Chuck Fawcett, chairman and co-founder of Medici XD, added: “In addition to its reputation for being a hub of creative excellence, establishing this office in Montréal provides a competitive advantage as well. Our new partnership with David provides access to key government tax incentives in Quebec as well as a seasoned entrepreneur who knows the local market.”

“Developing interactive experiences within Medici XD will enable us to work as part of an integrated collaborative team and to reach a wide variety of clients directly in key sectors in the US and abroad,” Fugère-Lamarre said. “Daren and Chuck have already created amazing experiences for theme parks, exhibits, and attractions – we will now combine our expertise and innovation at a whole new level.”  

Find out more

To learn more about Medici XD and Medici Interactive, attendees can speak to Medici’s entire senior staff at IAAPA Expo 2022 Booth #1372 in Orlando, US.

The Medici Interactive announcement comes just days after the Medici Machines announcement last week introducing the company’s revolutionary new TruFlight Theater which will be unveiled at this month’s IAAPA Expo 2022. 

https://blooloop.com/technology/news/medici-xd-interactive-montreal/

[KOOL]

Il y a 1 heure, mtlurb a dit :

Medici XD announces Medici Interactive opening in MontréalAdam Whittaker

Texte quasi-illisible en mode nuit. 

[mtlurb]

il y a 14 minutes, KOOL a dit :

Texte quasi-illisible en mode nuit. 

ouain... pour ça j'avais bloqué le rich text.

[mtlurb]

il y a 6 minutes, mtlurb a dit :

ouain... pour ça j'avais bloqué le rich text.

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