The founder of the Videotron cable company, André Chagnon, died on the night of Friday to Saturday at the age of 94.
Born in Montreal in 1928, André Chagnon trained as an electrical technician at the École technique de Montréal and worked for a few years as an employee. He then decided to go into business by creating ER Chagnon et Fils Ltée at the age of 31.
It was in 1964 that he founded Videotron, a cable company that became a leader in this sector in less than three decades.
Mr. Chagnon has received numerous awards for his accomplishments, including that of Great Quebec Builder of Information and Communications Technologies, awarded in 2003 by the Fédération de l’informatique du Québec. He was also inducted into a Telecommunications Hall of Fame in 2009.
The founder of Videotron has been involved in many charities helping the poorest. When Videotron was sold to Quebecor in 2000, he set up the Lucie and André Chagnon Foundation.
Mr. Chagnon was made an Officer of the Order of Canada and of the Ordre national du Québec and received honorary doctorates from McGill University and HEC Montréal.