Desjardins Trust announced today that the following previously announced changes to the Desjardins family of funds were approved by unitholders at special meetings held November 19.

The Desjardins Worldwide Balanced Fund will be merged into the Desjardins International RSP Fund.

The Desjardins High Potential Sectors Fund will be merged into the Desjardins Equity Fund.

The Desjardins Asia/Pacific Fund will be merged into the Desjardins Europe Fund with the resulting fund to adopt a new investment objective.

The Desjardins Select Cartier Fund, which is presently only offered in Québec, will be merged into the Desjardins Select Balanced Fund which will adopt a new investment objective.

The Desjardins Ethical Income Fund and the Desjardins Ethical North American Fund will be merged into the Desjardins Ethical Balanced Fund.

The Desjardins Mortgage Fund will adopt a new investment objective.

The Desjardins American Market Fund will adopt a new investment objective.

These changes will take effect on or about Jan. 9, 2004.

In addition, the company announced that the names of the following funs will be changed effective January 9:

  • Desjardins Mortgage Fund will become Desjardins Short-Term Income Fund;
  • Desjardins Bond Fund will become Desjardins Canadian Bond Fund;
  • Desjardins Balanced Fund will become Desjardins Canadian Balanced Fund;
  • Desjardins Quebec Fund will become Desjardins Québec Balanced Fund;
  • Desjardins Select Balanced Fund will become Desjardins Select Canadian Balanced Fund;
  • Desjardins Ethical Balanced Fund will become Desjardins Ethical Canadian Balanced Fund;
  • Desjardins Equity Fund will become Desjardins Canadian Equity Fund;
  • Desjardins Growth Fund will become Desjardins Canadian Small Cap Equity Fund;
  • Desjardins Select Canadian Fund will become Desjardins Select Canadian Equity Fund;
  • Desjardins American Market Fund will become Desjardins American Equity Value RSP Fund;
  • Desjardins International Fund will become Desjardins Global Equity Value Fund;
  • Desjardins International RSP Fund will become Desjardins Global Equity Value RSP Fund;
  • Desjardins Europe Fund will become Desjardins Overseas Equity Value Fund;
  • Desjardins Select American Fund will become Desjardins Select American Equity Fund;
  • Desjardins Select Global Fund will become Desjardins Select Global Equity Fund.

Desjardins Trust is Quebec’s largest mutual fund management company, managing more than $5.3 billion in retail mutual funds as at Sept. 30, 2003.