Additional $3 million invested to grow micro-cap Québec companies - The Caisse makes investments in Québec companies Extenway Solution Inc. and Innovente Inc.

MONTREAL, Feb. 14, 2012 /CNW Telbec/ - The Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec announced that it invested $3 million through a private placement in Extenway Solution Inc., a Montréal-based company in the information technology sector, and Innovente Inc., a company based in Chaudière-Appalaches and active in green energy production. With each close to $1.5 million, these investments have been made through the Micro-cap Québec portfolio, announced in April 2011, in connection with which the Caisse supports promising and successful publicly traded Québec micro-cap companies.

"We believe these companies benefit from all the advantages to successfully implement their growth strategies. With their officers showing a clear vision and their teams demonstrating an ability to innovate, Extenway Solution and Innovente have bright prospects regarding value creation. These are excellent examples of opportunities we wish to seize as part of the Micro-cap Québec portfolio," stated Jean-Luc Gravel, Executive Vice-President, Equity Markets at the Caisse.

Extenway Solution | Capital to meet new requests
Extenway provides multimedia, connectivity and communications solutions for hospitals. The company offers interactive television and bedside terminal solutions to satisfy patients' entertainment, education and information needs. The company, based in Baie-D'Urfé, in the Greater Montréal Area, has a total of 19 employees. The Caisse's investment will be used to market entertainment terminals with new customers.

Innovente | An investment to generate electricity from waste
Innovente produces intelligent electricity, which means it uses organic waste as fuel. Based in Québec City, Innovente has a plant in Saint-Patrice-de-Beaurivage, in the Chaudière-Appalaches region. Its operations rely on the construction of regional power plants using locally produced waste. This investment will enable Innovente to complete the construction of its cogeneration plant for electricity generation, in addition to assisting in the development of new projects.

These investments are in addition to that concluded in June 2011 in Mercator Transport Group, valued a one (1) million dollars. Mercator Transport is a Montréal-based company specialized in freight brokerage services, international logistics and distribution. The company, which carries on operations in North America and Africa, has a total of 124 employees.

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.lacaisse.com.

Maxime Chagnon
Senior Director, Media and Public Relations
514 847-5493
[email protected]