Why more Quebecers are launching or are considering starting their own business & how RBC is helping them thrive
Canadians are embracing entrepreneurship, with more people exploring ways to transform their side hustles and passion projects into sources of income.
According to a recent RBC Small Business Poll, Quebecers are leading the way in exploring new paths to business ownership. From transitioning out of traditional jobs to building businesses that align with personal values, or creating side hustles to test out an idea, the motivations behind becoming your own boss are evolving—and it’s not just about the money.
In fact, 94% of aspiring entrepreneurs in Quebec cited meaningful work as their top motivation for starting a business, ranking even higher than earning more income. For Gen Z and Millennials, entrepreneurship also means creating a flexible lifestyle.
But starting a business in Canada can be both simple and challenging. Simple, because the barriers to entry are diminishing – digital tools, expert advice, and tailored resources are making it easier than ever to start a business. Challenging, because it takes a healthy dose of hard work and self-belief to launch a viable business, let alone a solid business idea and plan.
Take Camille and Guillaume, Quebec-based digital nomads who turned their passion for photography and videography into a thriving business. But building a successful business has been a learning process.
“In our first year, we didn’t know we had to put money aside for taxes,” Camille shares. “Halfway through the year, we realized we needed to send almost $40,000—and of course, we didn’t have the money. We had to work harder and smarter during the last six months to make it work.”
Luckily, RBC has been there every step of the way on their journey. RBC helps entrepreneurs not just through financial support but also with tailored tools that go beyond banking, expert advice, and partnerships that extend far beyond traditional banking.
For example, one practical piece of advice that the bank shares with small business owners like Cam and Guillaume is to open a second bank account to set aside funds for your tax obligations. This simple strategy helps keep funds organized and ensures that business owners are prepared come tax season..
“It’s comforting to know I can rely on their advice and tools whenever I need support," Camille says.
If you’re a Quebecer dreaming of starting your own business, you’re not alone—and you’re in good company. Compared to Canadians overall, aspiring entrepreneurs in Quebec are more likely to turn hobbies into income (40% vs. 31%) or test business ideas while keeping their full-time jobs (13% vs. 8%), according to RBC.
With resources like the Starting a Small Business Hub and Beyond Banking Services, RBC makes it easier for entrepreneurs (like you!) to turn their passion into a sustainable business.
YES Employment + Entrepreneurship
The Internet Is Obsessed With This Montreal Restaurant's Refreshingly Honest Menu
You might be a frequent eater of Cuisine AuntDai in Montreal. Or perhaps you just heard about the Chinese restaurant this week when its strikingly honest menu went viral.
But who is behind the hilarious descriptions and anecdotes that accompany each menu item? We spoke to owner Feigang Fei about his newfound fame and the decision to caption his orange beef with "This one is not THAT good. Anyway, I am not big fan of North American Chinese food and it's your call."
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What's the story behind the brutally honest comments on AuntDai's menu?
Fei told MTL Blog he began posting comments on the online menu four years ago, after noticing that some customers would order plates they didn't enjoy in the end.
"After so many of these cases, I started focusing on the weird menu items," said Fei, explaining he added comments to unusual dishes so customers would know what to expect before trying them.
The descriptions proved to be effective.
Fei said that when customers showed up to AuntDai, they raved about his advice and how helpful it was.
Fei went on to add descriptions to every one of AuntDai's menu items last year.
The comments are too good, each more comical than the last.
Here are some examples:
Peanut sauce (chicken, beef, shrimps or vegetables at choice): I don't know why but peanut sauce chicken is liked by a lot of customers at AuntDai.
House Salad: A lot of Chinese people know this dish but I don't, maybe I am not so Chinese.
Satay sauce beef: According to a lot of customers, this one is very popular, I still don't have chance to taste it. Looks like I should spend more time eating in my own restaurant.
Cumin beef: We used to have the beef pieces on small sticks but several customers cut their lips by it thinking it was some hard ingredient ... To avoid incidents like this, no more sticks.
Hot and sour soup: Spicy and tasty, no meat, drink slowly to avoid hiccups.
What is it like to 'go viral'?
The recent spike in AuntDai love started with a tweet from Montrealer Kim Belair who wrote, "Aunt Dai is my favourite Chinese restaurant in Montreal, but the REAL treat is the menu, featuring extremely honest commentary from the owner."
The tweet has since racked up over 66,000 "likes."
Fei called the experience of going viral "crazy."
When a German newspaper contacted him, he said he even asked for proof thinking it was spam.
"After checking, I saw it was one of the top papers in Germany," he said.
The story was also picked up by other international media outlets, such as The Guardian.
"It’s a first thing for me in my whole life," he said.
What's next for AuntDai?
Fei said he worried for his business near the start of the pandemic.
"The business went down a lot — maybe [by] 50, 60 percent," he said. "It was really bad, we had to let people go."
However, Fei said business slowly picked up when the restaurant joined Uber Eats, SkipTheDishes, DoorDash and Foodora.
"They take really big portion [for] the commission. I don't think we can make money, but it helps," Fei told MTL Blog.
"Without them, we would have closed for sure."
Fei also thanked AuntDai's loyal customers, who he said have been integral in keeping the restaurant alive.
"I know families who come from the West Island and Brossard to come pick up — some of them live really far," he said.
"Those customers really helped us, otherwise I would probably have had to close in early February."
Prior to the pandemic, Fei said the restaurant regularly held "exchange groups" on its second floor in the evenings, facilitating English and French tutoring for Chinese immigrants while helping Montrealers learn Chinese.
The restaurant also offered information sessions to new immigrants with backgrounds in specialized professional fields, aiding them in learning how to regain careers in Quebec.
"We resume the club [after the pandemic] to help the immigrants, to improve each other," he said.
As for next steps for the AuntDai website and Fei's food commentary, he told MTL Blog his goal is to continue the restaurant's blog in his spare time.
"I always like to write real stories about the hardships of running a restaurant," he said.
"We try to be better for ourselves, we want to improve. I just want to make things right and make customers happy."