Montréal, July 19, 2012 – Quebecor, a major partner of Jour de la Terre Québec since 2007, and Videotron are increasing their support for Jour de la Terre Québec's Allo la Terre! program. The goal of the expanded partnership is to encourage Quebecers to dispose of electronic equipment in an environmentally responsible manner. The effort dovetails with the Québec government's new regulations for equipment manufacturers, which prescribe recovery targets for electronic equipment.
The Allo la Terre! program, created in 2008, keeps mobile handsets that are broken or no longer used out of landfill sites, giving them a second life by recycling components and safely disposing of hazardous substances. Consumers can deposit not only handsets but also cables, connectors, chargers, remote controls, tablets, batteries and accessories in recycling bins at more than 240 locations. Starting July 2013, set-top boxes, digital receivers and computer equipment will also be accepted.
Within easy reach
Quebecor and Videotron encourage consumers to bring small electronic equipment to any Videotron, SuperClub Videotron or Archambault location. Many private businesses and public organizations will be added to the list of drop-off sites in the future.
Support for the environment and sustainable development is part and parcel of the daily activities of Quebecor and its subsidiaries, said Pierre Karl Péladeau, President and CEO of Quebecor. Guided by our belief that many small acts can add up to a big difference, our comprehensive environmental strategy includes a large number of initiatives, many relating to waste management or energy consumption.
Allo la Terre!: More than 85,000 cell phones recovered
Since its launch in 2008 in collaboration with Jour de la Terre Québec, Quebecor and Videotron, Allo la Terre! has collected 85,896 handsets and parts, making it one of the most successful recovery programs in Canada. One ton of mobile equipment yields as much precious metal as 50 tons of ore, notes Pierre Lussier, Executive Vice President of Jour de la Terre Québec. Electronic waste accounts for about a third of the world's reserves of precious metals. All proceeds from Allo la Terre! go to Jour de la Terre Québec.
Quebecor Inc. (TSX: QBR.A, QBR.B) is a holding company with a 54.7% interest in Quebecor Media Inc., one of Canada's largest media groups, with more than 16,000 employees. Quebecor Media Inc., through its subsidiary Videotron Ltd., is an integrated communications company engaged in cable television, interactive multimedia development, Internet access services, cable telephony and mobile telephony. Through Sun Media Corporation, Quebecor Media Inc. is the largest publisher of newspapers in Canada. It also operates Canoe.ca and its network of English- and French-language Internet properties in Canada. In the broadcasting sector, Quebecor Media Inc. operates, through TVA Group Inc., the number one French-language general-interest television network in Québec, a number of specialty channels, and the SUN News English-language channel. Another subsidiary of Quebecor Media Inc., Nurun Inc., is a major interactive technologies and communications agency with offices in Canada, the United States, Europe and Asia. Quebecor Media Inc. is also active in magazine publishing (Publications TVA Inc.), book publishing and distribution (Sogides Group Inc. and CEC Publishing Inc.), the production, distribution and retailing of cultural products and music streaming (Archambault Group Inc. and TVA Films), video game development (BlooBuzz Studios Holding, L.P.), DVD, Blu-ray disc and videogame rental and retailing (Le SuperClub Vidéotron ltée), the printing and distribution of regional newspapers and flyers (Quebecor Media Printing Inc. and Quebecor Media Network Inc.), news content production and distribution (QMI Agency), multiplatform advertising solutions (QMI Sales) and the publishing of printed and online directories, through Quebecor MediaPagesTM.
Videotron (www.videotron.com), a wholly owned subsidiary of Quebecor Media Inc., is an integrated communications company engaged in cable television, interactive multimedia development, and Internet access, cable telephone and mobile telephone services. Videotron is a leader in new technologies with its interactive Digital TV service and its broadband network, which supports high-speed cable Internet access, analog and digital cable television, and other services. As of March 31, 2012, Videotron was serving 1,854,000 cable television customers, including 1,417,500 subscribers to its digital service. Videotron is also the Québec leader in high-speed Internet access, with 1,340,500 subscribers to its cable service as of March 31, 2012. As of the same date, Videotron had 312,800 subscriber connections to its mobile telephone service and was providing cable telephone service to 1,212,500 Québec households and organizations. For the seventh consecutive year, Videotron was named Québec's most respected telecommunications company by Les Affaires magazine, based on a Léger Marketing survey.
Jour de la Terre Québec's mission is to encourage individuals, organizations and companies to take positive action for the environment on April 22 and every day! In Québec, Earth Day has been celebrated since 1995. Ever since, the level of voluntary participation and involvement on the part of Quebecers who initiate and engage in activities that address environmental issues hasn't stopped growing. Today, over one billion people in 192 countries take action every year on Earth Day, the largest, most celebrated environmental event worldwide. Many citizens voice their beliefs and present other means of shaping the Québec of the future. Jour de la Terre Québec makes it possible to highlight the hopes of millions of people who aspire to live in a world where respect for self, others and the Earth's ecosystems is a driving force.
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