President

Suzanne Vinet

Suzanne Vinet, President of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec

Suzanne Vinet, President of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec since March 1, 2010, has been with the federal public service for 26 years, where she has held several senior positions.

In recent years, she has served as:

  • Associate Deputy Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities (2009-2010);
  • Associate Deputy Minister at Health Canada (2007-2009);
  • Assistant Deputy Minister, Strategic Policy, at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (2005-2007).

From 2002 to 2005, she worked with the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade as Director General, Trade Policy, International Trade. As the Deputy Chief Negotiator-World Trade Organization, she was a key participant in the multilateral trade policy issues of the department.

Ms. Vinet began her public service career in 1984 with the Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food where she gained extensive expertise in policy and liaison. She took on increasingly senior positions with a focus on trade policy, including: 

  • Director General, International Trade Policy (1999-2002);
  • Executive Director, International Trade Policy Directorate (1998-1999);
  • Director General, International Markets Bureau (1998).

A native of Vaudreuil, Quebec, Suzanne Vinet received a diploma from the Institut de Technologie agricole et alimentaire in Saint-Hyacinthe, and holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree (economics) from Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario. She also attended the National Defence College of Canada in Kingston.