Chrétien Desmarais is married to André Desmarais, president of the Montreal-based Power Corporation of Canada, and son of Paul Desmarais, a wealthy businessman.[2] They have four children.[3] One daughter, Jacqueline-Ariadne Desmarais, (b. January 23, 1990, Toronto, Ontario, Canada), married September 7, 2013, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Prince Hadrien Étienne Georges André Aldo de Croÿ-Rœulx (b. September 9, 1983, Uccle, Brussels, Belgium).[4][5] The direct descendant of Anne Emmanuel de Croÿ, the 8th Duke of Croÿ of the Solre.
Chrétien Desmarais and her husband donated money to build one of the tallest buildings on the University of Ottawa Campus. She was chairman of the board of the Montreal Heart Institute Foundation and a graduate of the University of Ottawa. She is also currently chair of the Canadian Olympic Foundation as well as vice-chair of the One Drop Foundation.[6][3]
In 2011, Chrétien Desmarais was made a Member of the Order of Canada.[7]
