The Minister of Finance, Eric Girard, continues to have confidence in Desjardins Group even though the financial institution announced Wednesday that it will close 30% of its service centers by 2026.
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“It affects communities, members and employees, he mentioned after leaving the question period. This is the context and I trust Desjardins which is aware of all this.”
For the politician, this is no surprise.
“Desjardins is implementing a plan that they announced in 2015,” added Mr. Girard. This is the continuation of it. There is nothing new although every time a service point closes, it is extremely difficult for the communities.
“The other element is the pandemic. It’s certain that it accelerated digital and the reduction in the number of branch transactions.”
Since its founding, Desjardins has built an enviable reputation thanks to its strong presence in different regions of Quebec.
“Desjardins is more present in the region. I trust them. It’s their decision. They must take into account all stakeholders. For communities, these service points are extremely important. It’s part of their business vision.”