Latest news with #ClaudePinard
Cision Canada
8 hours ago
- Business
- Cision Canada
Centraide of Greater Montreal announces investments of $70.3 million in 375 community agencies Français
MONTREAL, June 18, 2025 /CNW/ - Centraide of Greater Montreal has announced that its strategic investments in the community totalled $70.3 million for 2024-2025. This result was revealed in the Report to Our Community presented yesterday at Centraide's annual general meeting. Thanks to this funding, 375 community agencies can provide services and implement concrete projects to fight poverty and social exclusion. This commitment directly benefits approximately 800,000 people who live in the regions of Montreal, Laval and the South Shore. The housing crisis, rising food insecurity, and increased homelessness are exacerbating the vulnerability of many people. This growing precariousness has prompted Centraide to scale up its investments in several key sectors to better address priority issues and support the populations who are most at risk. This approach targets growing needs, particularly in the area of housing, as well as the needs of non-permanent residents, the Indigenous community, and people experiencing homelessness. Centraide also supports about forty neighbourhood roundtables in Montreal, in Laval and on the South Shore to bolster initiatives in disadvantaged and vulnerable areas. These roundtables strive to improve living conditions in local communities through projects that address specific neighbourhood issues. The second largest social and community investor after governments, Centraide is a key social development stakeholder. As an agent of change, it lends its voice for social issues while creating solid connections with the community. Its ability to mobilize people and resources means that it can consult and closely collaborate with partners from across the community, institutional, economic, university and civic sectors. It works with Quebec's Centraide network to efficiently distribute emergency government funds that require swift allocation, which in turn strengthens its impact on the ground. Centraide also helps develop innovative projects to generate lasting change and improve the living conditions of vulnerable populations. "Social emergencies can't wait. Our community support is only possible because of the generosity of our donors and the exceptional commitment of our volunteers and partners," said Claude Pinard, President and Executive Director of Centraide of Greater Montreal. "Thanks to their contributions, Centraide can soundly invest every donation to take effective action in building an inclusive, poverty-free Greater Montreal." New members elected to the Board of Directors In compliance with its governance rules, Centraide has welcomed three new community volunteers to its Board of Directors: Anne-Marie Boucher, Lawyer, BCF and Corporate Director; Renée Loiselle, Partner, Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP; and Maha Lebbos, Vice-President, Digital Transformation and Information Systems, Fondaction. Centraide also acknowledges the commitment of its three outgoing Board members: Vice-Chair Marie-Josée Neveu, Partner, Chair of the Partnership Board, Fasken; Normand Bélisle, President, Norbel Management; and Martin Thibodeau, Senior Vice-President and Chief Information Officer, Rona. Centraide has also appointed new people to chair its committees. Marie-Josée Lapierre, Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary, Cominar Real Estate Investment Trust, will chair the Governance Committee. Saad Saade, Vice President, Technology and Transformation, WSP, will chair the Technology Committee. Marie-Hélène Noiseux, Full Professor, Department of Finance, ESG UQAM, will serve as Vice-Chair of the Board while retaining her duties as treasurer. About Centraide of Greater Montreal A true agent of change, Centraide of Greater Montreal is a public foundation whose mission is to bring people together and take action for an inclusive and poverty-free Greater Montreal. To achieve this goal, it supports a network of 375 community agencies and projects in Laval, in Montreal and on the South Shore that improve the living conditions of vulnerable people. Centraide works with the Greater Montreal
Cision Canada
08-05-2025
- Business
- Cision Canada
A broad swath of Quebeckers continue to feel financial anxiety: 85% affected, including 46% to a high degree Français
Parents, low-income households, and workers are the most anxious about their finances MONTREAL, May 8, 2025 /CNW/ - A large proportion of Quebeckers continue to feel financial anxiety, with nearly half experiencing this anxiety to a high degree. While 46% of people have moderate to extreme levels, the groups most likely to experience high financial anxiety include parents (63%), people with family incomes under $50,000 (55%), and workers (54%). These are the results of Centraide of Greater Montreal's fifth financial anxiety index conducted in collaboration with Leger. The overall average financial anxiety score dropped slightly, decreasing from 40.5 in 2024 to 39.8 this year. However, respondents' concerns about the economy have increased. Over half (55%) expect Quebec's economic situation to get worse in the next six months, compared to 41% in 2024, for a jump of 14 percentage points. "Quebeckers are increasingly worried about the future," said Claude Pinard, President and Executive Director of Centraide of Greater Montreal. "These results reflect a growing sense of unease, which is magnifying existing financial concerns, particularly among the low-income groups we support. This situation is affecting not only people's physical and mental health but also their relationships with other members of their household, which can often trigger a downward spiral." A growing number of people say that thinking about their personal finances makes them anxious. This was the response from one in two people (49%), for an increase of three percentage points. Symptoms of financial stress are also on the rise among people with moderate anxiety levels, who reported disrupted sleep (52%), trouble concentrating (49%), and family conflict and tension at home (41%). "This survey gives us fresh data on issues such as mental health, food security and housing," said Sébastien Dallaire, Executive Vice-President, Eastern Canada, at Leger. "It also provides better insight into the financial situation of different groups, such as vulnerable people, so that they can get better support." Even people with fairly solid finances are feeling anxious. For example, 61% of people in this group are worried about a major unexpected expense, and 58% are afraid they will not have enough money for their retirement. Vulnerable populations affected most Concerns about costs are even more apparent among vulnerable populations. Low-income households, single parents, newcomers, racialized people, and people living with a functional limitation have anxiety levels at the high end of the global index. Furthermore, 22% of respondents reported experiencing food insecurity, a rate that reaches 52% among single-parent families. When it comes to renting, 22% of Quebec tenants fear being evicted from their home, a concern that is even higher among newcomers (46%), people with a functional limitation (43%), and racialized people (36%). Centraide of Greater Montreal has been surveying Quebeckers to understand their financial concerns and to track changes in these concerns over time. The financial anxiety index is comprised of three indicators: financial and family situation, financial knowledge, and concerns about various financial aspects. This initiative has allowed Centraide to confirm which groups are most impacted by financial anxiety so that it can better help them through the community agencies it supports. These agencies offer a multitude of services in areas such as mental health, food security, housing, and financial literacy. Consult the study here: link (available in French only) About Centraide of Greater Montreal A true agent of change, Centraide of Greater Montreal is a public foundation whose mission is to bring people together and take action for an inclusive and poverty-free Greater Montreal. To achieve this goal, it supports a network of 375 community agencies and projects in Laval, in Montreal and on the South Shore that improve the living conditions of vulnerable people. Centraide works with the Greater Montreal population and with communities, businesses, institutions and philanthropic organizations. For more information or to contribute to Centraide's campaign: About Leger
