Desjardins to close service centres, ATMs by 2026

Desjardins bank signage is pictured in Ottawa on Wednesday Sept. 7, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

The Desjardins Group has announced that its caisses populaires plan to reduce their service centres and ATMs by 30 per cent by Dec. 31, 2026.

The news, reported early Wednesday morning by Le Soleil, was confirmed to The Canadian Press by e-mail.

Desjardins spokesperson Jean-Benoît Turcotti explains that the caisses' boards of directors made the decision after analyzing how much the service centres and ATMs were used.

Desjardins states it will be up to the boards to decide which centres and ATMs will be closed as they are in the best position to make cuts while taking into consideration the needs of their communities.

Turcotti points out that the figures could change depending on how many people use the in-person services compared to the digital platforms.

By Dec. 31, 2023, caisse counters accounted for just one per cent of transaction volume, while ATMs accounted for just three per cent, according to Desjardins.

Two months ago, the caisses populaires ended the possibility of using passbooks to update banking transactions.

One month ago, Desjardins had 669 service centres and 1,559 ATMs in Quebec and Ontario.

-- This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Jan. 31, 2024.