Grey Canada will not open a new office in Quebec to fill the gap left by Partenaires Grey of Montreal.

Partenaires recently filed for bankruptcy, taking clients and Grey Canada by surprise.

Ev Elting, president and chief executive officer of Grey Canada, says the Montreal office was sold to Partenaires earlier this year because the company felt a multinational agency without roots in Quebec could not be successful in the province.

Grey will make alternate arrangements for clients requiring French services, but will not be going into business in Quebec.

After the purchase, Partenaires continued to sell French services to Grey Advertising, but Grey Canada did not have a stake in the company.

The bankruptcy does not affect GCI Communications and Grey Heathcare of Montreal, two divisions of Grey Advertising.

Partenaires is owned by President Anthony Shorteno and a minority shareholder.