Canuel was born on January 21, 1961 in Montreal. He was the son of actors Yvan Canuel and Lucille Papineau. He started his career in the 1980s by making music videos.
In the late 1990s, he made several television productions. He made his film debut in 2001 with the action comedy “Dirty Law”. It was about two sisters who run a farm. When business isn’t going so well, they decide to give half of their plot to drug smugglers.
The director’s breakthrough came with the 2006 film Good Cops. It focused on an investigation conducted by two police officers from regions that don’t like each other — French-speaking Ontario and English-speaking Quebec. The film was a huge hit in Canada.
Later he produced, among others, the film monodrama “Barrymore” with Christopher Plummer in the role of a legendary actor and the comedy “Grandpa Undercover” with James Caan, Paul Sorvino and Louis Gossett Jr.
The deceased was remembered by Warren P. Sonoda, president of the Canadian Directors Guild. “Érik Canuel left an unforgettable mark on the Quebec and Canadian film and television industries. His breakthrough, the hit ‘Good Cops,’ remains not only a favorite film of Canadians, but also a milestone in the creation of bilingual productions. He was not only an admired artist (. ..), but also a warm and enthusiastic creator who encouraged the cast and crew to work in an inspiring and motivating environment,” he wrote in a statement.