L'Alliance des caisses populaires de l'Ontario becomes the newest member of The Co-operators

GUELPH, ON, Aug. 21, 2015 /CNW/ - The Co-operators is pleased to introduce L'Alliance des caisses populaires de l'Ontario as its newest member organization. The board of directors approved its membership, effective October 1, 2015, at which time the Canadian insurance and financial services co-operative will have 43 members, including co-operatives, credit union centrals and representative farm organizations.

"We're pleased to welcome L'Alliance des caisses populaires de l'Ontario as our newest member, and look forward to strengthening the mutually-beneficial relationship between the two organizations," said Kathy Bardswick, president and CEO of The Co-operators. "Caisses populaires and credit unions have a long history of involvement with The Co-operators, and we're excited to be building upon that legacy of partnership."

L'Alliance des caisses populaires de l'Ontario is a federation representing 12 member organizations that provide financial services and products in 23 communities in northeastern Ontario. Each affiliated caisse is a financial services co-operative that is owned and democratically controlled by its members. Through the provision of centralized services to its members, L'Alliance helps the caisses better meet the financial needs of their 55,000 members.

"We look forward to a long and successful partnership with The Co-operators. We believe that by working together we will share responsibilities, resources, competencies and benefits which will be valuable to our members and to our respective organizations," said Lucie Moncion, president and CEO of L'Alliance des caisses populaires de l'Ontario.

A co-operative is owned and democratically controlled by members who use its services or products. The membership of The Co-operators consists of 43 organizations from every region of the country, representing the agriculture, finance, retail/consumer, service, health, and labour sectors of the Canadian economy.

About The Co-operators:
The Co-operators Group Limited is a Canadian-owned co-operative with more than $40 billion in assets under administration. Through its group of companies it offers home, auto, life, group, travel, commercial and farm insurance, as well as investment products. The Co-operators is well known for its community involvement and its commitment to sustainability. The Co-operators is listed among the 50 Best Employers in Canada by Aon Hewitt; Corporate Knights' Best 50 Corporate Citizens in Canada; and the Top 50 Socially Responsible Corporations in Canada by Sustainalytics and Maclean's magazine. For more information visit www.cooperators.ca.

SOURCE The Co-operators

Leonard Sharman, The Co-operators, 519-767-3937; Danielle Gagné, L'Alliance des caisses populaires, 705-474-5634