Capital régional et coopératif Desjardins and the caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec invest more than $15.5 million in ten Québec regions - Close to $100 M invested to date as part of the partnership between Desjardins and the Caisse

The Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (the "Caisse") and Capital régional et coopératif Desjardins announced that they have invested over 15.5 million additional dollars in 15 Québec companies. Ten regions – Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Montérégie, Mauricie, the Eastern Townships, Montréal, Québec City, Chaudière-Appalaches, Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, Bas-Saint-Laurent and Côte-Nord – will benefit directly from these investments intended to strengthen the presence of these companies in their respective markets.

Since the beginning of their partnership concluded in 2010, the Caisse and Desjardins Group jointly invested close to $100 million in different projects led by approximately 40 companies located in 11 regions of Québec.

For Marie-Claude Boisvert, Chief Operating Officer of Desjardins Venture Capital, which manages Capital régional et coopératif Desjardins, the diversity of the sectors in which these new partners operate confirms that this financial support meets the needs of a very broad market. “I am very happy to see that businesses working in industries as varied as the hotel, distribution, advisory service and agriculture industries place their trust in Desjardins and the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec when it comes to financing their projects. It's proof that our product is flexible and appeals to to all types of businesses.”

"Investing in Québec SMBs that have high growth potential and that stand out within their industry is an important part of our Québec economic development strategy," explained Luc Houle, Senior Vice President, Investments at the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec. The partnership with Desjardins enables us to seize attractive investment opportunities across the province and we are proud to be contributing to the expansion of Québec companies of all sizes and from a range of industry sectors."

15 companies: $15.5 million

Hôtel Forestel, Val-d’Or
A hotel complex located in Val-d’Or, Hôtel Forestel has 91 rooms, two dining rooms and a Congress Centre. The hotel has approximately 130 employees.
 
Budget Propane, Salaberry-de-Valleyfield
A company with 100 employees, specializing in the sale of propane appliances and distribution of propane to the residential, commercial, agricultural and industrial sectors in Québec and Ontario.

Lanla Marketing Research, Beloeil
Lanla Marketing Research offers marketing research services and conducts opinion surveys. Based in Belœil, the company has 35 employees.

Plastech Inc., Sherbrooke
Founded in 1998, Plastech specializes in the manufacture of injection-moulded items. The company has approximately 40 employees in Sherbrooke and in Ham-Nord.

Source Evolution, Montréal
Founded in 2003 in Montréal, Source Evolution, which has 150 employees, is a firm specializing in information technology. The company distinguishes itself through two highly extensive areas of target expertise, namely, Business Intelligence and Application Development & Architecture.

RGF Électrique, Trois-Rivières
RGF Électrique specializes in electric systems and equipment in the commercial and industrial fields. Based in Trois-Rivières, the company has 110 employees.

Collection Papillon Gemme, Beauport
Based in Beauport, Collection Papillon Gemme has 20 employees responsible for designing, manufacturing and marketing jewellry sold in hundreds of retail outels in Québec.

Station Skyspa, Québec City
Located on Laurier Boulevard in the borough of Ste-Foy, Station Skyspa is the first thermal spa in Québec City. The company has already had resounding success with a similar concept in the Quartier DIX30 in Brossard.

Éditions Gladius International, Québec City
Approximately 20 employees in Québec City work for Editions Gladius International, a company that creates, manufactures and markets board games.

Les puits du Québec, Lévis
Les puits du Québec is a company that specializes in artesian well drilling, pump systems and geothermal implementation. Based in Lévis, the company has 60 employees.

Les Productions Horticoles Demers, Saint-Nicolas
Les Productions Horticoles Demers is a company based in Saint-Nicolas with 212 employees, specializing in the production of greenhouse tomatoes, field strawberries and raspberries grown in tunnels.

Matelas Lion d’or, Saguenay
Based in Saguenay, Matelas Lion d’or specializes in the manufacturing and sale of mattresses and bed springs for the home, hospitals and hotels. The company has four employees.

Location A L R, Alma
Location A L R is a company with 45 employees that specializes in the construction of highway and street facilities and forest roads in Northern Québec.

Matane Suzuki - Matane Honda, Matane
Matane Suzuki - Matane Honda is a car dealer of Suzuki and Honda vehicles. The company, based in Matane, has 17 employees.

Santerre Electrique, Baie-Comeau
An entrepreneur specialized in electrical services, Santerre Electrique has 125 employees working in its Baie-Comeau head office as well as in its Port-Cartier and Sacré-Cœur branches.

About the Desjardins and Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec partnership

In 2010, Desjardins Group and the Caisse announced a $600 million agreement aimed at supporting the expansion and growth of Québec SMBs. The agreement includes two distinct components: one for small companies and another for medium-sized businesses. 

The first part of the agreement involves a $200-million fund, Capital Croissance PME, to meet the financing needs of small Québec companies, primarily in the form of subordinated loans of less than $3 million. Desjardins Venture Capital, a subsidiary of Desjardins Group, is the exclusive manager of this fund and an equal partner alongside the Caisse and Capital régional et coopératif Desjardins.
The second part of the partnership involves $400 million for the financing of successful medium-sized companies with good growth and profitability potential.

ABOUT THE CAISSE DE DÉPÔT ET PLACEMENT DU QUÉBEC

The Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec is a financial institution that manages funds primarily for public and private pension and insurance plans. As at December 31, 2010, it held $151.7 billion in net assets. As one of Canada’s leading institutional fund managers, the Caisse invests in major financial markets, private equity and real estate. For more information: www.cdpq.com.

ABOUT CAPITAL RÉGIONAL ET COOPÉRATIF DESJARDINS

Capital  régional  et  coopératif  Desjardins,  this  year celebrating its 10th anniversary, is a publicly traded company managed by Desjardins Venture Capital. With over 107,000  shareholders and net assets of $1,082 million, the Company contributes to Québec’s economic development while driving the growth of cooperatives and the resource regions. Capital régional et coopératif Desjardins currently supports more than 220 companies, cooperatives and funds in various industries spanning all Québec regions. (www.capitalregional.com)

ABOUT DESJARDINS GROUP

Awarded the coveted “Bank of the Year 2010 – Canada” title by the UK magazine, The Banker, Desjardins Group is the leading cooperative financial group in Canada and the sixth largest in the world, with assets of over $188 billion. Drawing on the strength of its caisse network in Québec and Ontario, and its subsidiaries across Canada, it offers a full range of financial products and services to its 5.8 million members and clients. Desjardins specializes in Wealth Management and Life and Health Insurance, in Property and Casualty Insurance, in Personal Services, in Business and Institutional Services. As one of the largest employers in the country and one of Canada’s 10 Most Admired Corporate CulturesTM of 2010, Desjardins is supported by the skills of its 42,500 employees and the commitment of nearly 6,000 elected officers. For more information, visit www.desjardins.com.