It is with great sadness that we learned of the passing of Boralex founder Bernard Lemaire this morning. On behalf of all Boralex employees, we offer our condolences to Mr. Lemaire's family and loved ones.
Bernard Lemaire was a passionate entrepreneur who had the vision to enter the renewable energy sector in 1990, when the fight against climate change was still a marginalized movement. Then head of Papier Cascades Inc., of which he was also co-founder, Mr. Lemaire went on to become a pioneer and builder in the development of wind power in Quebec and France.
Through his deeply human leadership and business acumen, combined with his focus on talent and employee development, Bernard Lemaire's values of entrepreneurship, respect, passion for work and innovation have taken root at Boralex, both in his various management roles within the company and as Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors from 1996 to 2012. These solid foundations, inherited from a founder for whom a strong organizational culture was a guarantee of success, will forever remain Boralex's pillars.
"On behalf of the entire Boralex Board of Directors and myself, I would like to extend my deepest condolences to the Lemaire family. I was very fortunate to have been able to work with Bernard over the years, particularly on the Boralex Board of Directors, and it is with great sorrow that I say goodbye today to an exemplary colleague and friend. All of Quebec has lost a great man and an incomparable entrepreneur." – Alain Rhéaume, Chairman of the Board, Boralex
"The Executive Committee and all Boralex teams join me in paying tribute to Bernard, to his remarkable legacy for the company, to his strong values that remain at the heart of the company's business practices, and to his admirable contribution to Quebec's entrepreneurial landscape. Bernard has continually reinvented himself to advance his ground-breaking vision and shape Boralex in his own way - the way that pushes us to always aim higher and further, together. It is an honor for us to be able to carry this legacy forward throughout the company and beyond." – Patrick Decostre, President and CEO, Boralex