Highlights

• Acquisition of Netricom’s Engineering Services division raises Telecon
  Group’s employee base from 1,300 to over 2,100 in eight Canadian
  provinces
• Renewed CRCD and La Caisse partnership helps to expand company’s market
  presence across Canada
• Transaction made possible through additional investments of $15 million
  by Capital r gional et coop ratif Desjardins (CRCD) and $7 million by
  La Caisse de d pôt et placement du Qu bec (Caisse)
• CRCD, a publicly traded fund managed by a Desjardins Group entity,
  remains majority shareholder of Telecon Group
• Telecon Group keeps head office in Trois-Rivières, Qu bec

MONTREAL, April 9, 2014 /CNW Telbec/ – Thanks to funding from Capital r gional et coop ratif Desjardins (CRCD) and La Caisse de d pôt et placement du Qu bec (La Caisse), Groupe Telecon, headquartered in Trois-Rivières, has acquired the engineering services
division of Netricom. The transaction allows Telecon Group to deliver
to its clients a modular or comprehensive offering of integrated
telecommunications and power infrastructure services including design,
location of utilities, construction, installation, repair and
maintenance. In this transaction, CRCD and La Caisse reinvested
$15 million and $7 million respectfully, for a total investment of
$49 million and $30 million.

Now a Canadian leader in its industry

By acquiring this division of Netricom — a top quality provider of
professional and technical engineering of wireline or wireless network
services — Telecon Group stretches its presence coast to coast.
Over 800 highly qualified Netricom employees will now join Telecon
Group, raising the Group’s total headcount to 2,100. The workforce
spans eight Canadian provinces: Qu bec, Ontario, Alberta, British
Columbia, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Saskatchewan, and Newfoundland
and Labrador.

According to Telecon Group President and CEO Andr H roux, “This
transaction confirms our leadership position in the Canadian
telecommunications and power infrastructure industry. We’ll stand out
from the competition thanks to our ability to deliver turnkey services
to our clients nationwide through a modular or comprehensive offering
of integrated telecommunications and power infrastructure services,
including design, location of utilities, construction, installation,
repair and maintenance.” In a video message to Telecon Group employees and clients, Mr. H roux applauded the exceptional contribution from his two key
shareholder partners over the past three years. “In 2011, the
investment made by Capital r gional et coop ratif Desjardins and La
Caisse de d pôt et placement du Qu bec set in place Telecon Group’s
long-term succession plan. They literally allowed us to thrive as a
Canadian leader. We’re proud to have them as our strategic partners to
fulfill our ambition of building a country-wide footprint to double our
earnings in three to five years.”

Capacity-building effect of patient capital provided by the Caisse and
CRCD

According to Marie-Claude Boisvert, COO at Desjardins Business, Capital
r gional et coop ratif, “Our mission is to help SMEs become the
Bombardiers of tomorrow. And Telecon Group perfectly represents the
kind of organization that CRCD strives to support. Back in 2011, as
majority shareholder, CRCD knew that Telecon Group had the potential to
become a major Canadian player in its industry. Knowing that today it
has achieved this goal is a source of great pride for us and some
100,000 CRCD shareholders in Qu bec.”

“Through this investment, La Caisse expands Telecon’s country-wide
presence, enabling it to become one of the leading players in its
industry,” said Normand Provost, Executive Vice-President, Private
Equity at La Caisse de d pôt et placement du Qu bec. “La Caisse has
consistently supported Telecon in its growth over the past three years.
In particular, in 2011 it supported a transfer of the business to a
high-performing executive team capable of managing its rapid
expansion.”

About Telecon Group
Headquartered in Trois-Rivières with its administrative centre in the
Pointe-aux-Trembles area of Montr al, Telecon Group has been offering
turnkey solutions as well specific and dedicated design, location of
utilities, construction, maintenance and repair services for
telecommunications networks since 1967. With business places in eight
Canadian provinces, Telecon Group has customers in major players in the
telephony, cable television and Internet industries, as well as
telecommunications and power network operators. Prior to the
acquisition announced today, the company had over 1,300 employees,
including nearly 900 in Qu bec. In 2011, Capital r gional et coop ratif
Desjardins and La Caisse de d pôt et placement du Qu bec became
shareholders through a $60 million investment in Telecon Group. (www.telecon.ca)

About Capital r gional et coop ratif Desjardins
With over 100,000 shareholders and $1,471 million in net assets, Capital
r gional et coop ratif Desjardins (CRCD) is a public company managed by
Desjardins Business Capital r gional et coop ratif. CRCD contributes to
Qu bec economic development through several levers developed with its
manager, with CRCD as the driving force. These levers form CRCD’s
entrepreneurial ecosystem designed to value and nurture the best of
Qu bec entrepreneurship. Directly or indirectly through its ecosystem,
CRCD supports the growth of over 360 businesses, cooperatives and funds
in various industries spanning all Qu bec regions, helping to create
and retain 47,000 jobs. (www.capitalregional.com)

About La Caisse de d pôt et placement du Qu bec
La Caisse de d pôt et placement du Qu bec is a financial institution
that manages funds primarily for public and private pension and
insurance plans. As at December 31, 2013, it held $200.1 billion in net
assets. As one of Canada’s leading institutional fund managers, La
Caisse invests in major financial markets, private equity,
infrastructure and real estate, globally. (www.lacaisse.com)

SOURCE Caisse de d pôt et placement du Qu bec