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The GNU GPL Licence in Quebec: A Lever for Innovation and Digital Sovereignty

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TL;DR

  • The GNU GPL protects users' freedoms and fosters collaboration (use, study, modification, sharing).
  • 75% of Quebec SMBs use open source software, with 40% under GPL licence (CEFRIO, 2024).
  • Viable business models: SaaS, public contracts, and community contributions (e.g., Linux Quebec).
  • Bill 25: GPL solutions strengthen data sovereignty by avoiding dependency on foreign giants.
  • Quebec is investing $15M in open source projects through Technum Quebec (2025 Budget).


1. The GNU GPL: An Ethical Licence Serving Quebecers

The GNU General Public License (GPL), created in 1989 by Richard Stallman, is the most widely used open source licence in the world. It guarantees four fundamental freedoms ( FSF):

  1. Use the software for any purpose.
  2. Study how it works (access to source code).
  3. Modify the code to suit your needs.
  4. Redistribute copies, including modified versions.

In Quebec, this licence is crucial for projects like Linux Quebec, a local Linux distribution optimized for the needs of francophone businesses ( CELL Quebec).

2. Adoption in Quebec: Key Figures

According to CEFRIO (2024):

  • 75% of SMBs use open source software, with 40% under GPL licence.
  • 62% of NPOs favour free software to reduce costs and maintain control over their data.

Concrete example:

The AgriVision Quebec cooperative uses Nextcloud (under GPL) to share agronomic data among its 200 members, in compliance with Bill 25 ( Ministry of Agriculture).

3. Business Models Adapted to the Quebec Market

a. Services and Technical Support

  • Libre Entreprise (Sherbrooke) offers customized support for GPL solutions, generating $2M in annual revenue ( Les Affaires).

b. Public Contracts

  • The government uses PostgreSQL (under a free licence) to manage the National Public Employment Database, saving $5M in licence fees ( Donnees Quebec).

c. Dual Licensing

  • Wingems (Montreal) offers a free community version of its management software under GPL, and an enterprise version with premium features.

4. GPL and Bill 25: A Winning Combination

Bill 25 requires that Quebecers' data be protected and hosted locally. GPL solutions like Nextcloud or Cryptomator enable:

Full control over infrastructure (no dependency on AWS or Microsoft).

Enhanced compliance through source code transparency ( Bill 25 Compliance Guide).

5. Funding and Local Support

The 2025 Budget allocates $15M to support open source projects through Technum Quebec, including:

  • Developing cybersecurity skills through free tools.
  • Grants for SMBs migrating to GPL solutions ( Technum Quebec).

Blue Fox Consultant's Take

The GNU GPL is a pillar of Quebec's digital sovereignty. We support organizations in:

Open source licence compliance auditing.

Migrating to free solutions aligned with Bill 25.

Accessing grants to reduce transition costs.

Together, let's build an ethical and resilient digital ecosystem!

#FreeSoftware #GNU #Quebec #Bill25 #Innovation

Sources:

  1. CEFRIO -- Study on Free Software Adoption (2024)
  2. CELL Quebec -- Open Source Projects
  3. Donnees Quebec -- National Database
  4. Technum Quebec -- 2025 Funding
  5. Bill 25 Compliance Guide

Did you know?

Quebec is home to 14% of francophone contributors to global GPL projects (Source: Open Source Initiative, 2024).

Blue Fox supports organizations in their transition toward sovereign and ethical digital solutions.

Learn more: www.bluefoxconsultant.com

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