September 25, 2006 (Montréal, QC) – Pierre Gagnon, Senior Counsel at Hydro-Québec, recently announced a $375,000 investment as part of the company’s partnership with the Quebec Foundation for Athletic Excellence.

This investment, representing $125,000 per year over a three-year period starting in 2007, will allow Hydro-Québec to expand its athletic bursary program. The program was inaugurated in 1998 with an initial Hydro-Québec investment of $210,000 spread over three years, followed by an additional $270,000 in 2001 and a further investment of $300,000 in 2004.

Originally aimed exclusively at athletes identified as the most promising “elite” competitors, the Hydro-Québec bursary program will now encompass the “hopeful” category, starting in 2007, and so provide support earlier in the career of our young athletes from all over the province.

Mr. Gagnon took this opportunity to present 23 bursaries worth $3,000 each as part of the ninth edition of the Hydro-Québec bursary program. He mentioned the excellent work of the Foundation, without which these talented young athletes would not have access to financial support or recognition by the sports community. Physical activity is essential for the well-being of young people and Hydro-Québec is proud to contribute to this social cause.

Many of the athletes supported by this program regularly distinguish themselves on the international scene: Some 23 names of bursary recipients in 2006-2007 were announced recently, including cyclists Laurie-Anne Dupont-Renaud of Repentigny and Dominique Rollin of Boucherville. Rollin is the son of a Hydro Quebec employee.

Identified by their provincial federations as among the most promising competitors at the elite level, all the athletes must be eligible to represent Canada at the Olympic Games, the Paralympics or World Championships in their respective disciplines. They must also demonstrate that the financial support they are applying for will meet a genuine need. In addition, they must commit themselves to a post-career project which, given the recipients’ age, usually takes the form of high school, CEGEP, college or university studies.

The mission of the Quebec Foundation for Athletic Excellence is to financially support and encourage student-athletes in their pursuit of excellence and to promote athletes as role models in Québec society. By the end of 2006, the Foundation will have handed out more than half a million dollars in bursaries. www.faeq.com