E-commerce in Quebec: A Catch-Up Strategy for Growth

The retail sector represents more than 6 per cent of Quebec’s GDP and creates around 500,000 jobs. The financial health of this sector is therefore important for the Quebec economy. The estimated total value of all the online purchases made by Quebec consumers per year is $6.6 billion. However, only $1.7 billion of this goes to the province’s retailers, who enjoy a mere 26 per cent share of the province’s e-commerce market. In other words, most of the goods and services purchased online in Quebec come from outside the province. This substantial difference has a substantial impact on jobs, government revenues, and the overall economy. This report shows how a potential increase in the online market share enjoyed by Quebec’s retailers could have a positive impact on the Quebec economy; such an increase could come from the volume of online purchases currently being made by Quebec shoppers from suppliers in the United States.