Fonds de solidarité FTQ Invests $4 Million in QuébéComm: An investment in culture is an investment in the economy

QUÉBEC CITY, Sept. 13, 2012 /CNW Telbec/ - Fonds de solidarité FTQ president and CEO Yvon Bolduc and Groupe QuébéComm president, producer and founder Sylvain Parent-Bédard are pleased to announce a $4 million investment by the Fonds de solidarité in QuébéComm to help the company pursue its development plan.

"This new partnership will help the company grow and diversify. QuébéComm has a number of projects in the pipeline for the regional, national and international markets and this backing comes at a strategic time, as the company is going through a major growth phase," said Mr. Parent-Bédard. "We are very happy that the Fonds de solidarité FTQ has chosen us to invest in Québec City's entertainment and cultural industry."

"Founded in 1997, QuébéComm has since become a leader in Québec's entertainment industry," said Mr. Bolduc in turn. "The company's growth over these last 15 years is not only a testament to Québec ingenuity in this field but to the important role culture plays in our economy. The popularity and success of Québécomm's recent creations and productions show that this company in the Capitale-Nationale region has a great future in store."

According to the Institut de la statistique du Québec, with average annual growth of 3% between 1997 and 2011, the information and cultural industries largely outperformed the 2.3% recorded by Québec's industries overall.¹

About the Fonds de solidarité FTQ

The Fonds de solidarité FTQ helps drive our economy. With net assets of $8.5 billion as of May 31, 2012, the Fonds is a development capital investment fund that channels the savings of Quebecers into investments in all sectors of the economy to help further Québec's economic growth. Its investments, in all sectors of the economy, contribute to the creation and maintenance of businesses and development in Quebec. The Fonds is a partner, either directly or through its network members, in 2,239 companies. With its 594,287 owner-shareholders, it has helped, on its own or with other financial partners, to create, maintain and protect 168,577 jobs. For more information, visit www.FondsFTQ.com

About QuébéComm

Mission: To create and exploit entertainment products across all the broadcasting platforms.

For nearly 15 years, QuébéComm has been constantly evolving, moving from communications into event staging and entertainment. Now the leading multiplatform content producer in the region, this cultural organization, with its headquarters in Québec City and an office in Montréal, stands apart for its original and versatile products as well as for its network of prominent partners and broadcasters in over 100 countries. QuébéComm stages events, such as the recent Madonna concert on the Plains of Abraham in September, Paris-Québec à travers la chanson, which attracted over 70,000 spectators during Québec City's 400th anniversary celebrations and the Festival Grand Rire. It also produces content for television such as the Galas du Grand Rire series, the Grand Rire à Paris, the Grand Rire à Marrakech, the lol :-) series and the Comédie Club series, in addition to documentaries, charity events, artist tours (for example, for Anthony Kavanagh) and films.

¹ Source: http://www.stat.gouv.qc.ca/donstat/dev_durable/pdf/1-09.pdf

SOURCE: FONDS DE SOLIDARITE FTQ

Contact information for media representatives only :

Patrick McQuilken
Senior Advisor for Media Relations and Communications
Fonds de solidarité FTQ
Phone:  [phone]
Mobile:  [phone]
E-mail: [email protected]

Audrey Laroche
Communications Coordinator
QuébéComm
Phone:  [phone], ext. 126
Mobile:  [phone]
E-mail:  [email protected]