The founder of the cable company Videotron, André Chagnon, died on Friday night at the age of 94.
Born in Montreal in 1928, André Chagnon trained as an electrical engineer at the École technique de Montréal and worked for a number of years as a clerk. Then, at the age of 31, he decided to enter the business by founding ER Chagnon et Fils Ltée.
In 1964 he founded Videotron, a cable company that in less than three decades became a leader in the sector.
Mr. Chagnon has received numerous awards for his achievements, including the Great Quebec Builder of Information and Communications Technologies award from the Fédération de l’informatique du Québec in 2003. He was also inducted into a Telecommunications Hall of Fame in 2009.
The founder of Videotron has been involved in many charities to help the poorest. When Videotron was sold to Quebecor in 2000, he established the Lucie and André Chagnon Foundation.
Mr. Chagnon has been appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada and the Ordre national du Québec and has received honorary doctorates from McGill University and HEC Montréal.