Less than a week ago, the Montréal Alouettes captured the Grey Cup in the 110th edition of the Canadian Football League's Championship game. This weekend, the University of Montréal Carabins are fighting for the coveted Vanier Cup in the U Sports Championship match, meaning Montréal could be celebrating two championships on back-to-back weekends. Additionally, Quebec's provincial junior team won a Gold Medal at the 2023 Football Canada Cup by default after the Canada Cup Final was cancelled due to air quality.

   Even if the Montréal Carabins fail to capture the Vanier Cup, Quebec's football dominance this year cannot be denied. We are witnessing the rise of French-Canadian football at a crucial time for Canadian Football as a whole. Have we been discounting what Quebec brings to our football culture in Canada, and will this year finally shine light on what the province has been building?

   First we'll look at the impact of Team Quebec on Canada's talent pool as a junior team. At this year's Football Canada Cup, Quebec made it to the Canada Cup Final after dominating Team Alberta in the Semi-Final, the latter being game that we covered in-person and more specifically, from the sidelines. Between great talent, creative plays and dominating performances, it was easy to see that Quebec's provincial U19 program was force to be reckoned with. Some of the players on Quebec's roster will find a collegiate or professional opportunity down the road, and based on what we saw at the Canada Cup, expect a higher percentage of these players to reach their goals as opposed to some of the other provincial teams from this year's Canada Cup. This step is crucial for every player and coach that wants to pursue their football dreams, and Quebec is has made themselves one of the biggest gold mines for budding national talent. With the IFAF U20 Football World Cup just months away, taking place in Edmonton, Team Canada will be selecting the top talent from the Football Canada Cup for their national roster, so expect to see some familiar names from Team Quebec on Team Canada in June 2024.

   Next, we'll look at the Montréal Carabins in Canada's collegiate sports league, U Sports. Last year, Laval Rouge et Or won the Vanier Cup, marking their 11th title in  57 editions. This year, the Carabins are looking to capture their first Vanier Cup since 2014, just 4 years after suffering defeat by the Calgary Dinos in the big game. Now, fresh off of a 29-3 win against the Western Mustangs in the Uteck Bowl, the Carabins will face the University of BC Thunderbirds in an epic college football showdown. Again, this step is crucial for football players that want to progress to a professional career. In 2023, 16 Carabins alumni were signed to CFL teams, which is a great amount considering that some University programs have half as many alumni currently playing professional football. Laval and Montréal are a major force in developing high-quality Canadian football talent.

   Last, we'll look at the Montréal Alouettes winning the 110th Grey Cup. Canada's biggest party has come and gone, with the Alouettes taking home Canada's prized possession in Earl Grey's Cup. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers came into the game as heavy favourites to win, but Montréal's defense showed up at critical times to stop the Bombers from scoring. Many believed the Alouettes upset the Bombers, but after watching the final interviews and player reactions, it is clear that there is a special culture and belief that General Manager Danny Maciocia had built in the Als locker room. Maciocia, who has also won a Vanier Cup with the Carabins as Head Coach in 2014, found a way to instill French-Canadian pride throughout the entire organization this year, creating a unique yet winning culture. After defeating a 16-2 Toronto Argonauts in Toronto, the Montréal Alouettes took down Winnipeg in the final seconds of the Grey Cup Final, showing their belief in what they've been building thoughout the year. Once the clock hit zero and the Alouettes were handed the prized Grey Cup, French-Canadian players yelled at the camera in French, one player exclaiming, "You can keep your English," in reference to the CFL's lack of French messaging surrounding the entire Grey Cup Festival. This year's Championship win will never be forgotten, and the many fans, parents and children that cheer for the Alouettes will now have a lasting memory of their Canadian football team. Winning the Grey Cup will always fuel our nation's children that are interested in playing Canadian football, proving that dreams can become reality if you start somewhere. Grassroots football programs in any region or province gain an instant boost when their closest CFL team wins it all, so we expect interest in Canadian football to grow even more in Quebec.

   For many years, Western Canadian Football has been considered the cornerstone of Canada's talent pool and fandom. In 2023, however, it has become clear that Quebec is developing as one of the best Canadian Football provinces in Canada, if not the best. Even if the Montréal Carabins fail to win the Vanier Cup, Quebec's football programs have made it to three Championship games in three of the most important leagues all within the calendar year, a feat that should be applauded by all of Canada.