Le Groupe Maurice: So much more than seniors’ residences

Since the official announcement that Le Groupe Maurice was taking on a new financial partner, several residents have asked me about the company’s future. I would like to use this platform to explain, in greater detail, why this excellent news will not change the mission the company set for itself more than 20 years ago: to meet the aspirations of Quebec retirees. Residents, allow me to explain exactly what Le Groupe Maurice is.

Partners of choice

As you already know, Le Groupe Maurice recently signed a financial partnership agreement with Ventas, one of the world’s largest real estate investment trusts. Based in the U.S., the company, which has extensive expertise with seniors’ residences, is taking over the role Ipso Facto has played for the last 15 years. Given the enormous cost of building the residences, Le Groupe Maurice needs financial assistance to complete its projects. We cannot cover the costs of building such huge, high-quality complexes ourselves. In fact, no company in Quebec has the means of doing it on their own.

This is why we carefully choose our collaborators. We want to form alliances with individuals and businesses that share our values, respect our approaches and encourage us to continue pursuing our mission. We have opted to partner with Ventas mainly for these reasons. Not only will this partnership ensure Le Groupe Maurice’s continuity, it will offer us the means to develop more residences while maintaining our culture of excellence and innovation. It will let us stay true to ourselves.

100% managed by Le Groupe Maurice

Le Groupe Maurice designs, develops and manages residences for Quebec retirees. We are therefore more than just “brick and mortar.” We have a head office staffed with nearly 140 professionals who are the brains of the company, and who develop the entire strategy around its reason for being.

They are the ones who design the retirement complexes, see to their construction and manage the internal teams once the residences open. They select the properties, the building architecture, the interior design and the brand marketing strategy.  They are also behind the company’s values, all the programs in the residences, the internal systems and processes and the services residents benefit from each day. Simply put, without these people, the buildings would not exist.

This expertise, experience, professionalism and knowledge of Quebec seniors is reflected in all we do. It’s the CONTENT, the heart of Le Groupe Maurice, while the residences are simply the CONTAINER, the result. The management company that the head office embodies is the engine that drives the structure forward. You can rest assured that it will remain intact following our partnership with these new investors.

Development capacity

Le Groupe Maurice has extensive real estate development expertise. Conducting market analyses, seeking the best sites on which to erect the buildings, designing the residences so they meet the aspirations of a specific clientele… each step taken before breaking ground on a construction project contributes to quality results. The differences between the residences are not random. We make sure that the landscaping, architecture and building design are in harmony with the receiving environment and in keeping with the tastes of the region’s retirees.

It is also through our development that our innovative spirit shines. Each new project demonstrates our effort to meet seniors’ evolving needs. Fifteen years ago, the residences did not have the common areas they have today, because back then, it had not occurred to us that retirees would want and need them. We are devoted to continuously adapting, evolving and innovating. And we do so through our organization’s development department.

Human-oriented services

Le Groupe Maurice is also the services the residences offer, both what is offered and how it is provided. The quality of the relationships between the residents and the members of the different departments (management, recreation, food service, care, maintenance) are of utmost importance to us. A quality relationship is the basis for a great client experience. We conduct regular surveys to make sure our residents are happy and that their needs are being met.

A brand that has made its mark

Finally, Le Groupe Maurice is a brand—which means a promise—and, most importantly, a promise kept. Words mean nothing if they are not backed by action. The Le Groupe Maurice brand personifies the promise made to residents from the very beginning: “offer today’s retirees an experience defined by freedom, stability, choice and inspired living in inviting and warm environments that meet their aspirations, while anticipating the future generations’ needs.” The main reason we’ve become so well-known is because we’ve kept our promise. If we hadn’t, Le Groupe Maurice would have lost its credibility and would not have survived. Our loyalty to Quebec seniors, that’s Le Groupe Maurice.

In Quebec to stay

Let me repeat: we have not been sold. Part of the buildings are owned by an investor with whom we are associated, but the company remains the same. All of the elements I mentioned above are just as important as the buildings.

Don’t forget that this partnership with Ventas will allow us to continue growing and ensure our longevity. It gives us the possibility of serving a larger number of Quebec seniors, which is my greatest wish, and creating more jobs. What will we be doing with the profits? Like always, we will be reinvesting in new projects or in our Foundation, because our main aim is, and always will be, to be a key player in improving the well-being of seniors, by offering comfortable living environments where freedom and socializing are of utmost importance. Our contribution to Quebec society has only begun. We’re here for the long haul!

Luc Maurice