Evangeline Education Centre receives significant funding to rebuild and expand its facilities

From: Canadian Heritage

News release

ABRAM VILLAGE, Prince Edward Island, August 14, 2023

The Government of Canada is committed to investing in education, beginning in preschool, to help equip youth for their future and promotes the vitality of official language minority communities.

Today, Bobby Morrissey, Member of Parliament (Egmont), announced more than $12.9 million in funding over five years (from 2023–24 to 2027–28) for the reconstruction and modernization of the Evangeline Education Centre. Mr. Morrissey made this announcement on behalf of the Honourable Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages. He was accompanied by the Honorable Natalie Jameson, PEI Minister of Education and Early Years. The provincial government is providing more than $40 million over five years (from 2023–24 to 2027-2028).

This infrastructure project has three components: preschool, school and community. It will allow the Evangeline Education Centre to rebuild and modernize its school space after the devastating effects of Hurricane Fiona, which struck the island in September 2022. To help provide comprehensive services to the regional Acadian and Francophone community, this funding will also allow:

  • redistribution and expansion of community spaces;
  • reconstruction and expansion of the Early Years Centre to increase the number of spaces;
  • expansion of school spaces to better accommodate classrooms (K-12) and promote learning;
  • rebuilding and renovation of community and shared spaces; and
  • creation of a new centre of excellence in arts and culture. This centre will promote the development of local arts and culture as well as the training, creation and distribution of artistic and French cultural products in the Evangeline region.

The project is funded under the Canada-Prince Edward Island Agreement on Minority Language Education and Second Language Instruction from 2020-2021 to 2022-2023. 

Quotes

"As a Franco-Albertan living in a minority setting, I know how important it is for students to learn and grow in their official language. In the beautiful Evangeline region, Acadians have preserved their language through strong institutions such as the Evangeline Education Centre, and today we reiterate our commitment to support minority-language education by announcing this major investment for the Acadian and Francophone communities in Prince Edward Island.”

—The Honourable Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages

“The Evangeline Education Centre is part of the heart of the community, and the investment announced today is critical for all Acadians, Francophones and Francophiles in Prince Edward Island. Thanks to the dedication of people who care about preserving the vitality of French in the region and investments like this, we are able to provide opportunities to grow and flourish here in Egmont.”

—Bobby Morrissey, Member of Parliament (Egmont) 

Our government is committed to ensuring students and families have access to high-quality learning environments that set the stage for academic success. I’m proud we are investing over $40 million into the future of French-language education in the Evangeline region, so that students, families and the local community can have the space and supports to continue to grow and thrive.”

—The Honourable Dennis King, Premier of Prince Edward Island

“Prince Edward Island has a deep and lasting history with the Acadian and Francophone community. We wanted to ensure that our students are learning that history, and how it has shaped the people we are today. This investment will ensure that we have the infrastructure in place to support the French community through a modern school, space for an early years centre, an accessible public library and sufficient space to meet the needs of the community for years to come.”

—The Honourable Natalie Jameson, PEI Minister of Education and Early Years

“As a proud Acadian, I’m happy to see the commitment of both the federal and provincial government to invest in the Evangeline Education Centre. The reconstruction and modernization will provide more spaces for the daycare, school and community centre. The funding will be beneficial for the Acadian and Francophone community of the Evangeline area.”

—The Honourable Gilles Arsenault, Minister of Economic Development, Innovation and Trade and Minister Responsible for Acadian and Francophone Affairs, MLA for District 24 Evangeline-Miscouche

“The Evangeline Education Centre has been a bastion for French-language education in Prince Edward Island. The fact that there are five other school-community centres in PEI today is largely due to the resilience and determination of Acadians and Francophones in the Evangeline region. We are very pleased to be a part of the announcement of a new building for the Evangeline Education Centre, which will include a new school as well as new community spaces. The Commission scolaire de langue française would like to thank Canadian Heritage, the federal government and the Province of Prince Edward Island for their financial contribution, which will help ensure the vitality of the Acadian and Francophone community in PEI, especially in the Evangeline region.”

—Gilles Benoit, Chair, Commission scolaire de langue française

Quick facts

  • In September 2022, Hurricane Fiona damaged the Evangeline Education Centre, halting its renovation and expansion project. After evaluating the damage, the complete reconstruction of the Centre was deemed necessary.

  • The Evangeline Education Centre is the community school centre for the Evangeline area. It houses primary and secondary school classes as well as the Pomme and Rinette Educational Centre.

  • The Evangeline Education Centre serves more than 200 students each year. Since opening, more than 1,400 youth have graduated from the centre. It is recognized as a stronghold of the Acadian and Francophone community in Prince Edward Island.

  • The Action Plan for Official Languages 2023–2028 provides for the injection of an additional $47 million over five years to support the construction, renovation and development of educational and community spaces serving official language minority communities. This funding is in addition to the $14.8 million per year provided in the previous Action Plan, the $80 million announced in Budget 2021, and the $78.9 million over 10 years for community education infrastructure in these communities announced in Budget 2017 as part of the Investing in Canada Plan.

  • The Government of Canada’s Official Languages Support Programs funding aims to enhance the vitality of English- and French-speaking minority communities and promote the English and French languages in Canadian society.

  • On March 1, 2022, the Government of Canada introduced an improved bill aimed at substantive equality of official languages in Canada to adapt the Official Languages Act to a changing society. Among other things, this bill aims to remedy the decline of French in Canada, clarify and enhance the section of the Official Languages Act concerning the promotion of official languages, and support official-language minority communities.

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Contacts

For more information (media only), please contact:

Marianne Blondin
Press Secretary
marianne.blondin@acoa-apeca.gc.ca

Media Relations
Canadian Heritage
819-994-9101
1-866-569-6155
media@pch.gc.ca

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