The Business Development Bank of Canada and UNI Business partner to help finance small and medium-sized businesses

MONCTON, NB, April 20, 2017 /CNW Telbec/ - UNI Business and the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) announce the signing of a partnership agreement that will give entrepreneurs in the Maritimes access to more financing expertise and advisory services.

"This agreement is good news for our clients, especially those dealing with intergenerational business transfers. This will be a major challenge for many businesses in the coming years and BDC's support in this regard will be invaluable to us. Our federal status has given us a clear advantage because we can now expand beyond our traditional networks, especially across the Maritimes. This partnership will provide growth opportunities for both our institutions," points out Robert Moreau, Chief Executive Officer of UNI.

For UNI and BDC, joining forces will be particularly beneficial for providing complimentary solutions in order to foster support and business development, especially for SMEs. This mutual collaboration opens the door to new business opportunities and the development of credit solutions.

"For BDC, this partnership will provide SMEs in the Maritimes with streamlined access to financing and enable us to offer advisory solutions tailored to local entrepreneurs," said Michael Denham, President and CEO of BDC. "The region's businesses will benefit from our joint efforts with UNI." 

BDC is the only bank exclusively dedicated to entrepreneurs, and this agreement can only help it to better serve its clientele. Although BDC and UNI have collaborated in the past, the implementation of a working group will allow them to develop new synergies and opportunities for both partners; this agreement brings their business relationship to the next level.

"We will be able to better support entrepreneurs by combining the expertise of our respective teams," adds Gina Gale, Senior Vice President, Atlantic. "We want to support local SMEs so that they can grow and expand."

Finally, this partnership reaffirms UNI's desire to serve the needs of its business clients through turnkey management solutions, competitive financing options and individualized expertise. Now more than ever, UNI wants to inspire, support and finance businesses that believe, as we do, that real growth benefits everyone.

About UNI Financial Cooperation
With its $3.7 billion in assets and thanks to the support of its 1,000 employees, the organization, founded in 1936, is the most important francophone Acadian financial institution. Every day, the institution seeks to inspire, support and finance New Brunswickers' individual and collective wealth. Visit www.uni.ca for more details.

About BDC
BDC is the only bank exclusively dedicated to entrepreneurs. Its purpose is to support Canadian entrepreneurship with a focus on small and medium-sized businesses. With more than 110 business centres across Canada, BDC provides financing solutions and advisory services to businesses in all sectors. Through its investment arm, BDC Capital, it offers pure equity and venture capital financing services, as well as flexible growth and transition capital solutions. Visit bdc.ca for more information.

SOURCE Business Development Bank of Canada

Mario Griffin, Communications and Public Relations Consultant, UNI Financial Co, Phone: [phone] | Cell: 506-724-0078, [email protected]; Shawn Salewski, Director External Communications, BDC, [email protected], 1-844-625-8321