Desjardins Group plans to reduce the number of its service centers and ATMs by 30% by the end of 2026.
Nearly 190 service centers are therefore expected to cease their activities by this date. The news was first reported by The sun.
In an interview with the daily, Desjardins Group’s first vice-president of personal services, Nathalie Larue, explains that “all options”, such as reducing opening hours or sharing service with a regional branch, are studied before to carry out a closure.
“Even when we offer more hours, we arrive at a certain point where there are no longer enough users to justify maintaining service centers,” she emphasizes.
Desjardins aims to centralize its services and move day-to-day operations from its physical network to its AccèsD digital platform. Mme Larue also specifies that “support” will be provided to members to guide them through this transition.
“We don’t let anyone down,” she assures us.
Desjardins is thus continuing its wave of closures that began a few years ago. The institution closed 58 service centers in the province in 2022. Last year, 62 funds ceased their activities. In 2015, Desjardins had 1,122 service centers in Quebec.