2017 UNITED WAY CAMPAIGN - UNPRECEDENTED INVOLVEMENT BY COGECO
Montreal, September 15, 2017 — Driven by a desire to pay tribute to the communities it serves and determined to make a noteworthy contribution, as it celebrates its 60th anniversary, Cogeco has made an unprecedented commitment to the 2017 United Way fundraising campaign.
While United Way has traditionally been a flagship cause for Cogeco’s management and employees, this year, their participation will be unparalleled in scope.
In fact, never will the voluntary commitment of Cogeco’s executives to United Way have been as substantive.
Louis Audet, President and CEO of Cogeco, agreed to co-chair the 2017 campaign of Centraide of Greater Montreal, which lends its support to some 350 of the region’s organizations.
Mr. Audet’s personal commitment to Centraide of Greater Montreal goes back several years: he was a cabinet member in 1997, 1998, 2000 and 2004. It may be recalled that, under Mr. Audet’s leadership, Cogeco also helped establish Centraide’s “Former pour mieux intégrer” project targeting the successful integration of Syrian refugees in their new country.
“My involvement speaks to the importance I attach to Centraide’s fundamental role with the underprivileged,” stated Mr. Audet, adding: “I am firmly convinced that Centraide makes a real difference in the lives of thousands of people, thanks, among other things, to its in-depth knowledge of communities and their needs.”
Ken Smithard, President of Cogeco Connexion was appointed Campaign Cabinet Chair for United Way in Halton and Hamilton, the first combined campaign for the newly amalgamated organization serving five communities, to be launched this September.
“When I was asked to get involved with United Way, I jumped at the chance, because of the undeniable benefits this organization offers to the communities we serve. United Way and the agencies it funds provide countless services and help people in need to access the support they require while creating opportunities for everyone to have a better life,” said Mr. Smithard. “At Cogeco, being at the service of the communities in which we operate is part of our fundamental values. As a result, it was quite natural for me to personally endorse United Way’s mission,” he added.
Meanwhile, Johanne Hinse, Vice President, Sales Consumer Market and Community Relations at Cogeco Connexion, will serve as President, Service and Commercial Companies Division, of the 2017 Centraide campaign in the Mauricie region.
“We believe it is both a privilege and a responsibility to invest in our communities,” asserted Ms. Hinse. “Cogeco has been part of the Trois-Rivières region’s economic landscape for 60 years, contributing to its economic prosperity and quality of life. My personal involvement attests to Cogeco’s intent to continue exerting a positive impact on the communities in which we operate. I am proud to help make the 2017 campaign of Centraide Mauricie a success.”
Employees’ Participation
Like their senior executives, Cogeco employees will have the opportunity of being more involved with United Way in their community.
Some twenty or so employees will be designated as “Ambassadors”, and will be responsible for raising awareness, among their colleagues, of the importance of supporting United Way’s work in their community.
Furthermore, several employees will be able to take time off to volunteer with some of the organizations supported by United Way in their community. As volunteers, employees will get to make a concrete difference by helping organizations while sharing an enriching experience with co-workers.
ABOUT COGECO INC.
Cogeco Inc. is a diversified holding corporation which operates in the communications and media sectors. Through its Cogeco Communications Inc. subsidiary, Cogeco provides its residential and business customers with video, Internet and telephony services through its two-way broadband fibre networks. Cogeco Communications Inc. operates in Canada under the Cogeco Connexion name in Québec and Ontario, and in the United States under the Atlantic Broadband name in western Pennsylvania, south Florida, Maryland/Delaware, South Carolina and eastern Connecticut. Through Cogeco Peer 1, Cogeco Communications Inc. provides its business customers with a suite of information technology services (colocation, network connectivity, hosting, cloud and managed services), through its 16 data centres, extensive FastFiber Network® and more than 50 points of presence in North America and Europe. Through its subsidiary Cogeco Media, Cogeco owns and operates 13 radio stations across most of Québec with complementary radio formats serving a wide range of audiences as well as Cogeco News, its news agency. Cogeco’s subordinate voting shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: CGO). The subordinate voting shares of Cogeco Communications Inc. are also listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: CCA).
ABOUT COGECO CONNEXION
Cogeco Connexion comprises the Canadian cable operations of Cogeco Communications Inc. Cogeco Connexion is the second largest cable operator in Ontario and Quebec in terms of the number of basic cable service customers served. It provides residential and small business customers with video, Internet and telephone services through its two-way broadband cable networks. Cogeco Communications Inc. is a communications corporation and is the 8th largest hybrid fibre/coaxial cable operator in North America, operating in Canada under the Cogeco Connexion brand name in Quebec and Ontario, and in the United States through its subsidiary Atlantic Broadband in western Pennsylvania, south Florida, Maryland/Delaware, South Carolina and eastern Connecticut. Through Cogeco Peer 1, Cogeco Communications Inc. provides its business customers with a suite of information technology services (colocation, network connectivity, hosting, cloud and managed services), through its 16 data centres, extensive FastFiber Network® and more than 50 points of presence in North America and Europe. Cogeco Communications Inc.’s subordinate voting shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: CCA).
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INFORMATION AND INTERVIEW REQUESTS:
Gabriel Beauséjour
Senior Advisor, External Communications
Cogeco Connexion
514-764-4618