The verb partir is sometimes used in the sense of to start (something) in the French of Québec.
The Usito dictionary gives these examples:
partir une mode
partir une tendance
partir une discussion
partir un débat
In all of these, partir means to start.
to start a fashion
to start a trend
to start a discussion
to start a debate
Another expression you might hear is partir le char, to start the car.
Partir in this sense is conjugated with the verb avoir in the past tense. J’ai parti une mode.
(The Usito dictionary claims that using partir like this comes from the English to start a fashion, a trend, etc., and that it’s a non-standard equivalent of lancer [lancer une mode, une tendance, etc.]. I’m still trying to figure out how partir is an anglicism deriving from to start…)
