Round trip to London paid $11,150 by the BDC

An organization deplores the fact that the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC), whose mission is to help our SMEs, spent $11,150 for the return trip from Montreal to London for its boss, Isabelle Hudon, last June.

“Taxpayers will pay $14,000 this year for their grocery basket, when we spend almost that on a single plane ticket,” laments Nicolas Gagnon, Quebec director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (FCC). .

At Logthe deputy leader of the New Democratic Party (NDP), Alexandre Boulerice, also strongly denounced the price paid for this journey by plane.

“People are hurting and they want us to be responsible with their money. When they see that price tag, I don’t blame them for being upset,” he sighed.

In economy class, it’s $1000

Last June, BDC President and CEO Isabelle Hudon took an Air Canada flight from Montreal to London for a conference. The price paid? $11,150 for “a reimbursable business class plane ticket” with “spacious armchairs” and “gourmet meals”, says the aircraft manufacturer’s website.

However, in recent days, travel agencies have indicated to the Log that it would surely have been possible to pay less by opting for a refundable ticket with penalties rather than a 100% refundable one.

Yesterday, a Montreal-London ticket (December 11 to 15) could cost around $1,000 in economy class to more than $14,000 in flexible business class.

The last days, The newspaper was unable to speak with Isabelle Hudon, but the BDC assured that everything had been done in order.

“According to the General Directive on Expenses Incurred on Behalf of BDC, senior vice-presidents and persons in a higher position can purchase a business class ticket for flights that last three hours and more,” explained the porter. Word from BDC, Shawn Salewski.

“As an independent and financially viable Crown corporation, all of our expenses are paid from earned revenue and are not government expenses,” he said.

The office of the Minister of Small Business, Mary Ng, was also reminded that the BDC is a financially viable Crown corporation and that therefore its operational expenditures are not supervised.

WHAT IS THE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT BANK OF CANADA?

The Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) is a federal Crown corporation. Its mission is to help create and develop Canadian businesses by offering financing and consulting services, with particular attention to the needs of SMEs. Its head office is in Montreal.

Source: Business Development Bank of Canada Act