Desjardins closure in Chicoutimi sparks backlash over 2027 move
desjardins is facing pushback in Chicoutimi after announcing the 2027 closure of its branch on Rue Racine. The move will shift employees and services to the Talbot Boulevard branch once renovations there are complete. The decision has triggered concern among community leaders, especially those working with people in precarious situations downtown.
Branch closure set for 2027
The Desjardins branch on Rue Racine in Chicoutimi is set to close in 2027, with automatic teller machines in the building also to be removed. Employees now working in the four-storey building will move to the cooperative’s Talbot Boulevard site, where major renovations are underway.
The branch sits near the courthouse and city hall, making it a visible part of the downtown core. Desjardins says it will accompany members through the transition as the Racine Street location closes in winter 2027, once work at the Talbot site is complete.
Céline Lapointe, general manager of Desjardins de Chicoutimi, said the closure follows a sharp drop in foot traffic since 2019. She said the branch now sees roughly 10 to 12 employees a day and about 20 members daily, while the building occupies substantial space in the downtown area.
Concerns from downtown service providers
Yanick Harvey, general director of the Maison d’accueil pour sans-abri de Chicoutimi, called the closure bad news for people experiencing homelessness. He said the downtown location matters because it is where many of the people his centre serves have used the caisse for cash and banking services.
Harvey said the move to Talbot Boulevard would make support more difficult for people who cannot easily travel on foot from downtown. He said the centre has been able to accompany clients to the branch because of its central location, and he fears that will no longer be possible in the same way.
He also said he hopes a mobilization will form to seek reversal of the decision. His remarks come as the region is seeing a 50% increase in visible homelessness in Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean.
Desjardins says it will help members adjust
Céline Lapointe said Desjardins has already begun contacting people who regularly use the Racine Street branch. She said the organization has identified 11 members who use only that location, while most others already use the wider network.
She said the institution will work with anyone who has difficulties and will take the time needed to support them. Lapointe also said discussions have taken place with the mayor and the downtown association about finding a new use for the building that could attract more traffic than the branch itself.
Cathy Fortin, the municipal councillor for the sector, also said she is disappointed. She said the closure is part of a broader shift in banking habits, but added that the lack of even one counter at the downtown site is especially regrettable. In her view, the branch has long been part of downtown development.
What comes next for desjardins in Chicoutimi
The immediate focus now is the transfer of services and employees to Talbot Boulevard, while the future of the Racine Street building remains open. Desjardins says it is trying to use the change as an opportunity to bring in another business or organization that could increase downtown activity.
For residents and organizations that rely on the current location, the coming months will determine how the transition is handled and whether accommodations can soften the impact. For now, the closure of desjardins on Rue Racine stands as one of the most sensitive downtown changes ahead in Chicoutimi.
