Vanier College opens Jake's Café - the first student-run co-op cafeteria in an English Cegep

MONTREAL, Sept. 10, 2014 /CNW Telbec/ - The Vanier College Students' Association would like to thank the Borough of Saint-Laurent, via its Local Development Centre, for its generous contribution of $30,000 to help create a new student-run co-op cafeteria, called Jake's Café on its campus. The new Co-op café, operated by the VCSA since August 27th, is part of a new policy of healthy food and healthy living at Vanier College.

"The opening of Jake's Café is great news. I am convinced that it will quickly become popular with students. I am also very pleased that Saint-Laurent's Local Development Centre (CLD Centre West of the DESTL), was able to contribute to helping establish an initiative that will become a significant part of student life at Vanier College," said the Mayor of Saint-Laurent, Mr. Alan DeSousa.

"A few years ago, the VCSA was mandated by the student body to create a student-run café on campus," says Majed Abou Alkir, V.C.S.A President. "Thanks to both the 2013-2014 and the current VCSA Council as well as the cafeteria's provisional Board of Directors, Jake's Café is finally up and running. The 2014-2015 VCSA Council contributed $50,000 to support and help start this very important project. This café is the first COOP organization in an English Cegep and we hope it will pave the way for other English Cegeps to follow suit. We also hope that Vanier students who are the real owners of the café will become involved in the operations of the café."

Gabriel Guinez Richer, manager of Jake's Café has been overseeing the launch of the café. "It's a project that will bring a lot to the Vanier community and to students. The more students become involved, the more they will have a say in how the café will evolve," he said.

Students using the café are enthusiastic about the quality of the food as well as the prices and employment opportunities that are offered. 

About the CLD Centre West

By managing the local development centre (CLD Centre West of the DESTL) offers customized services and financial solutions for the start-up and growth of companies located in Côte-Saint-Luc, Hampstead, Montreal West and Saint-Laurent.

SOURCE: Vanier College

Marguerite Corriveau, Vanier Communications, [phone] ext. 7596; Geneviève Bouchard, Chargée de communications, Division des communications et des relations avec les citoyens Direction d'arrondissement Ville de Montréal Arrondissement de Saint-Laurent, Téléphone : 514 855-6000, poste 4058