18 Pontiac mayors protest Laurentian closures

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Over 30 people, including the MRC Pontiac’s 18 mayors, protested the closure of both the Pontiac’s Laurentian Bank branches

Allyson Beauregard

CAMPBELL’S BAY – About 30 people, including the 18 MRC Pontiac


Over 30 people, including the MRC Pontiac’s 18 mayors, protested the closure of both the Pontiac’s Laurentian Bank branches

Allyson Beauregard

CAMPBELL’S BAY – About 30 people, including the 18 MRC Pontiac
mayors, gathered in front of the Laurentian Bank in Campbell’s Bay, November 23, to protest the announced closure of the two Pontiac branches next summer.
Both Raymond Durocher, MRC Pontiac Warden and Fort-Coulonge Mayor, and Bill Stewart, Campbell’s Bay Mayor, addressed the crowd. “It was an absolute insult to hear through the media that both our branches would be closing…the Pontiac is open for business and if the Laurentian Bank doesn’t want to be part of our economic development, we will find someone who will,” said Durocher, stressing the municipalities affected by the closures were sent a letter from the Laurentian Bank informing them of the closures after the news was already well-known. 
“This isn’t it, we will fight to the end,” added Stewart, who said upwards of 3,000 people in the region will be affected by the closure.
According to Durocher, no response has been received from the Bank about the resolution the Council of Mayors passed during their October meeting where they expressed their strong disagreement to losing both the Pontiac’s branches.
“We are sending the Laurentian Bank a clear message: ‘Keep it open or you won’t have our business’. As corporate customers of the bank, the MRC Pontiac will not travel 100 kilometres [to the Le Plateau branch in Hull] to do our banking,” stated Durocher.
The Bank indicated changing needs of clients and the popularity of
electronic banking as reasons behind the closures. The official closing date for both the Campbell’s Bay and Fort-Coulonge branches is set for June 30, 2017.