Investment funds
In 1965, Desjardins Trust (which at the time was known as Société de fiducie du Québec) launched a group investment fund called Fonds Desjardins, aimed at caisse members.
With that, Desjardins took in hand three funds created by that corporation: an equity fund, a bond fund and an international equity fund. They became the Desjardins Equity , Bond and International Funds.
In 1965, Desjardins broadened that range by launching Desjardins Mortgage Fund.
In 1986, the Desjardins Balanced Fund was offered. Then, in 1988, the Desjardins Money Market Fund. At the start of 1988, Desjardins Trust created a subsidiary called Gestion Placements Desjardins, to manage the range of investment funds.
Gestion Placements Desjardins fulfilled that mandate until 1994, when the management of the Desjardins Funds was given to Elantis, a corporation that was acquired by Desjardins in the framework of the transaction with the Laurentian Group.
Original and innovative products
In the 1990's, the range of Desjardins Funds grew into what it is known as today.
From 1990, Desjardins became one of the first Canadian promoters to offer an ethical fund. This was the Desjardins Environment Fund, whose assets are invested in shares of corporations that contribute to maintaining and improving the environment.
In 1994, Desjardins became the first banking type institution to offer mixed funds with fixed distribution (as opposed to funds whose distribution is tactically managed); the Desjardins Diversified Fund achieved immediate success.
In 1996, Desjardins once again innovated by launching the two international funds that were a 100% RRSP eligible: the Desjardins Worldwide Balanced Fund and the American Market Fund. The following year, the Desjardins Québec Fund was put on the
market, it is the only mixed fund made up uniquely of Québec shares.
In 1999, a new family of funds appeared within the family of funds: the Desjardins Select Funds, four "funds of funds", whose assets are invested in shares of investment funds offered by other promoters and recognized for excellent results.
Desjardins saluted the arrival of year 2000 by offering three Desjardins Ethical Funds; these are also "funds of funds", constituted from other Ethical Funds. The launch of the three new products was the result of an agreement that was signed with the
Credit Unions of Canada cooperative network, responsible for the Ethical Funds, and similar in many ways to the Desjardins network.
Among the best
The quality and stability of the results of the investment funds enabled Desjardins to be classified among the 25 top fund promoters in Canada.
