Western Union Financial Services, Inc., and Laurentian Bank of Canada announced today that they have completed an agreement to offer the Western Union money transfer service across the bank’s network of 156 branches.

The agreement follows the completion of a successful pilot project launched in December 2004.

Starting mid-June 2005, consumers will be able to access Western Union services at specially-designed service counters in the bank’s branches. Designated areas will allow people and businesses to transfer money to more than 200 countries and territories around the world.

The service is available to all consumers regardless of whether or not they are a client of Laurentian Bank.

Laurentian Bank says it was attracted to Western Union because of its grassroots marketing strength and strong ties to the growing community of global migrants now living in Quebec.

Western Union completed 97 million consumer-to-consumer money transfer transactions and 46 million consumer-to-business transactions in 2004.

“We are very pleased to offer the services of Western Union in all our branches, as of mid-June. Western Union is a solid, choice provider of money transfer services whose international network will allow our customers to make quick, convenient and reliable money transfers around the world,: said Raymond McManus, president and CEO of Laurentian Bank. “This new relationship is part of the growth strategy of Laurentian Bank. It will enable us to offer even more personalized services to cultural communities, an important clientele for Laurentian Bank.”

With the addition of the Laurentian Bank branches, Western Union’s Canadian agent network now includes more than 3,200 locations including almost 300 locations in Greater Montreal area.

The deal also expands upon the relationship between Laurentian Bank of Canada and Western Union’s parent company, First Data Corp. First Data Canada has provided card processing services to Laurentian Bank since 2000.