Companies find attractive business climate in: Quebec: IBM, GE are among companies expanding...

AFTER A RECENT RUN OF DISASTROUS years for new foreign direct investment in Canada, the country is on the mend and a spike in interest in Quebec is leading much of the activity.

Capital investment in Quebec was just finding its legs in 2002, and by 2004, it accounted for 22 percent of overall foreign investment, but that was largely because of a drop in new projects by foreign-owned firms in Western Canada.

During the past two years, however, a number of factors have conspired to keep Quebec on pace for recovery and also its place, along with Ontario, Albert