EP005 How Desjardins Supports Montreal Asian Community in Commercial Financing

In this episode, Jianping Zhou, Director of Commercial, Industrial, and Real Estate Sectors for the Asian Market at Desjardins Entreprises, shares his insights into the commercial real estate needs of Asian clients across Quebec. He also discusses how Desjardins qualifies its borrowers and their real estate projects, including acquisitions of industrial land, warehouses, and rental multi-residential buildings.

This episode aired on December 8, 2021, and is available for replay on YouTube. Here is an excerpt from the transcript:

Chia-Yi Tung
Hello everyone! I’m Chia, your HappyBroker and host of Real Talk with CHIA. Today, I’m pleased to welcome Jianping Zhou from Desjardins. Hello Jianping!
Jianping
Hello Chia! Thank you so much for inviting me.
Chia
It’s a great pleasure. I’m curious to learn about your story because it’s rare to meet an Asian who speaks French. What brought you from China to France and then to Canada?
Jianping
It was simply a family decision. My wife chose France for her studies, and I followed her.
Chia
Then you must be a happy man because they say happy men always listen to their wives!
Jianping
(Laughs) Absolutely!

In this conversation, Jianping and Chia explore several important topics concerning commercial real estate for the Asian clientele in Quebec:

• The specific needs of Asian clients when acquiring commercial real estate, such as industrial land, warehouses, and multi-residential buildings.
• The rigorous process Desjardins uses to qualify borrowers and evaluate real estate projects.
• How Desjardins assists new Asian immigrants looking to invest in commercial real estate and the criteria used to assess large-scale projects.

Jianping
“At Desjardins, we ensure that borrowers are well-qualified by assessing their experience in the real estate sector, their financial stability, and their history with us. We also evaluate the risks associated with each project before providing financing.”

The episode also highlights the importance of acquiring land and warehouses for Asian entrepreneurs, many of whom are involved in import-export or growing sectors like logistics and technology. Jianping offers valuable advice on investment strategies in a competitive market, explaining how Desjardins structures customized financing solutions to meet these needs.

To watch the full episode, head over to our YouTube channel and follow us for more insightful discussions on commercial real estate and investment strategies in Quebec!