Montréal and Paris, April 7, 2025 – At the conclusion of the Rencontres de l’IFD, Finance Montréal and the Institut de la Finance Durable (IFD) announced the renewal of their strategic partnership. This agreement aims to strengthen cooperation between the Quebec and French financial ecosystems to support the ecological transition, in alignment with the objectives of the Paris Agreement on climate change and the Kunming-Montréal Global Biodiversity Framework.
Since 2021, the two organizations have joined forces to promote green, inclusive, and innovative finance. The renewal of this partnership reflects their shared commitment to establishing lasting exchanges between two francophone centers of excellence and to advancing initiatives across four priority areas:
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Biodiversity and nature-based solutions
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Transition plan
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Talent development; And
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Impact investing
“This renewed partnership is a strategic opportunity to connect our respective areas of expertise and accelerate the sustainable transformation of the Quebec and French financial sectors, while generating tangible benefits for our economies and communities,” said Jacques Deforges, Chief Executive Officer of Finance Montréal.
“In the current context, the renewal of this partnership demonstrates once again the importance of a collaborative multilateral approach to move issues forward. The expertise and feedback of our respective ecosystems will enable us to identify best practices that can be disseminated to players in our financial centers to accelerate the transition,” added Cécile Goubet, Managing Director of the IFD.
As active members of the international United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) –Financial Centres for Sustainability (FC4S) network, Paris and Montréal have established themselves as leaders in sustainable finance. They play a key role in mobilizing public and private capital to implement major international commitments, including the goal of carbon neutrality and living in harmony with nature by 2050.
“This partnership between two long-standing FC4S members embodies the very mission of our network: to build bridges between financial centers to accelerate the sustainable transformation of the real economy. Montréal and Paris are leading the way by leveraging local expertise in service of global solutions,” said Stephen Nolan, Managing Director and Head of the Secretariat, FC4S – UNDP.
This structured partnership is based on the creation of joint working groups, the sharing of expertise, and the co-production of strategic content. It fosters exchanges between businesses, financial institutions, researchers, and innovators. The partnership also aligns with the areas of cooperation identified during the 21st Alternating Meeting of the France–Quebec Prime Ministers, particularly regarding green finance, biodiversity financing, and support for sustainable economic growth.
About Finance Montréal
Founded in 2010, Finance Montréal, Quebec’s financial cluster, plays a central role in the development and promotion of Quebec’s financial services industry and its positioning as a world-class, growing, competitive, attractive, and innovative business hub.
Through its International Financial Center (IFC) team, Finance Montréal works to attract foreign financial firms to Montréal. The organization also focuses on fintech and innovation, sustainable finance, and talent development. As a hub for the financial community, Finance Montréal brings together key stakeholders around these core areas, notably through the community centered around the Station Fintech Montréal, which it manages.
To learn more, visit www.finance-montreal.com or follow us on LinkedIn.
Media contact
Julie Desjardins – julie.desjardins@finance-montreal.com
About the Institut de la Finance Durable
Created in October 2022, the Institut de la Finance Durable, a branch of Paris EUROPLACE, aims to coordinate, federate and accelerate the Paris financial marketplace's action to achieve the ecological transition and transform the economy towards a low-carbon and inclusive model, aligned with the objectives of the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals. It brings together all the private, public and institutional players in the Paris financial center, and represents the financial center's positions at European and international level.
Media contact
Justine Dagorn – justine.dagorn@paris-europlace.com - +33 1 70 98 06 46
