Desjardins cuts its services in the regions

The year has just begun and Desjardins already plans to close about two dozen service centers by March. Of the group, eight counters will disappear in Nouvelle-Beauce as Caisse management claims to be a victim of manpower shortages.

• Read also: Desjardins: Almost 30% of service centers have disappeared since 2015

Earlier this month, Le Journal wrote that the financial institution closed 69 service centers last year. Since 2015, the number of service centers has shrunk 30% in Quebec and Ontario, from 1,122 to 790.

In an email sent to the magazine, the director general of the La Nouvelle Boss Fund indicated that the eight affected institutions on its territory would be closed on March 4. It will be converted into automated service centers, that is, without employees and with ATMs.

The municipalities involved are Saint-Elzier, Saint Marguerite, Saint Henden, Saint Anges, Saint Patrice de Beau Rivage, Saint Narcisse de Beau Rivage, Saint Sylvester and Scott.

many reasons

Caisse de La Nouvelle-Beauce management confirms that its board of directors made this decision after reflection.

The ‘extremely low’ use of these counters by members ‘no longer justifies their maintenance’. The lack of “blatant” cadres in several places and the tightening of security measures also affected the balance.

Since 2020, remember that an employee at Desjardins can no longer be alone with money in a cash register.

“All these elements no longer allow us to keep service centers open in the traditional way,” replied General Manager Pierre Junior Saint-Marseille, explaining that the building would always be available to members for advisory services, by appointment.

Last summer, a manpower shortage also forced Desjardins to temporarily scale back its services in about twenty kises across the county, particularly in Bos.

In Abitibi-Témiscamingue, the management of Caisse de l’Abitibi-Ouest recently announced two service center closures. The affected municipalities are Normetal and Tashiro.

Of the 21 service centers that are closing, five establishments actually stopped welcoming customers in January.

Today, transactions in cysts represent only 1% (23 million) of all transactions executed in Desjardins.