Desjardins Group and the Québec Entrepreneurship Contest become allies in the
development of the next generation of entrepreneurs

MONTREAL, Sept. 29 /CNW Telbec/ - Desjardins Group has joined with the Québec Entrepreneurship Contest as presenting partner of the 13^th edition, thereby reaffirming the importance Desjardins lends to education and entrepreneurship. The contest recognizes education-based initiatives, from the elementary to the university levels, as well as the creation of businesses that allows for the start up of more than 1, 000 new businesses each year.

"Demonstrating one's entrepreneurial ability is a tremendous strategy to use in a context where we must continue to create new businesses to further develop employment and our communities," says Mrs Liliane Laverdière, Vice-President, Business and Institutional Services (Eastern Québec) with Desjardins Group. "The vitality of Québec's economy hinges on the next generation of entrepreneurs since we know that we are behind the other provinces and that we'll be facing many business transfers in the years to come," she points out.

The statistics* clearly demonstrate the urgency of the situation:

• Only 3.7% of Quebeckers between the ages of 18 and 35 are owners of a business, compared to 4.6% of young people in the Atlantic provinces and 8.6% of youth in the rest of Canada;
• Young entrepreneurs in Québec represent only 12% of young Canadian entrepreneurs; a percentage that does not match their proportion of the population of Canada (22%);
• The entrepreneurial deficit is worrisome, and due to this trend, the level of entrepreneurship in Québec might not be renewed.

The Québec Entrepreneurship Contest is part of the solution: it contributes to motivate young people and it also relates to Desjardins Group's values as regards financial education and entrepreneurship, respect for the community and sustainable prosperity.

The Regional Finals, to take place in the 17 regions of Québec, will be followed by the Desjardins Provincial Grand Prize Gala on June 16, 2011.

About Desjardins Group

Desjardins Group is the largest cooperative financial group in Canada and the sixth largest in the world, with assets of over $173 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, Desjardins is supported by the skills of its 42,200 employees and the commitment of over 6,200 elected officers. For more information, visit www.desjardins.com.

* Léger Marketing survey conducted among 17,192 Canadians in 2009

For further information:

for journalists only
Francine BlackBurn
Advisor, Media Relations
Desjardins Group 
514-281-7000, ext. 7544 or
1-866-866-7000, ext. 7544
[email protected]