Repentigny Mayor Nicolas Dufour accuses Caisse Desjardins Pierre-Le Gardeur of cutting funding to local organizations as retaliation against the City.
The City of Repentigny has been doing business with Caisse Desjardins Pierre-Le Gardeur for 19 years for its day-to-day banking activities. Their business relationship ended in November 2023, after the National Bank won a call for tenders launched by the City of Repentigny.
Which would have displeased the Fund. In a letter addressed to the mayor of Repentigny, its general director, Alain Raîche, expressed his dissatisfaction. “As a result of this termination, we could call into question certain present and future agreements, donations, sponsorships linked directly or indirectly with a person, organizations of the City of Repentigny,” wrote the general director.
In an interview with Patrick Lagacé on 98.5, Nicolas Dufour said he was worried about the Caisse’s reaction. “A financial institution cannot afford to make this type of threat,” lamented the mayor. The reprisals have started, according to Nicolas Dufour: since Alain Raîche’s letter, two independent organizations from Repentigny have lost the financial support of the Fund.
Affected organisms
Aramusique, an organization promoting classical music, suffered a refusal from Desjardins to subsidize its annual benefit event. “There was a tradition that Desjardins was a sponsor of our benefit event […]. This is the first year that they have said no,” assures Gisèle Côté, general director of the organization, in an interview with The Press.
For Gisèle Côté, the reasons behind Desjardins’ refusal are clear: Mayor Nicolas Dufour is honorary president of the Aramusique benefit event. “I blame this on what is happening with the City,” says the general director.
Caisse Desjardins Pierre-Le Gardeur has also reportedly stopped sponsoring Excellence Repentigny, an independent organization that supports sporting and cultural excellence. According to Nicolas Dufour, the Caisse had signed a three-year agreement with the organization, but the check expected by Excellence Repentigny did not arrive this year. This cut falls “directly after we have made the decision to change financial institutions”, insists the mayor.
Contacted by The Press, Alain Raîche refused to comment on the situation. The Desjardins Movement, for its part, distanced itself from the decisions of Caisse Desjardins Pierre-Le Gardeur. “This is a situation that concerns us and which does not reflect Desjardins’ ways of doing things. It is the Fund which is responsible for this type of decision,” responded a spokesperson by email.