New funding categories to offer more flexibility to small communities
News Release
Saint-Elzéar - July 7, 2016
Improvements to the Small Communities Fund will help Quebec municipalities offer better services to families, particularly in the areas of cultural, recreational and tourism. Infrastructure investments made as a result of this agreement will help improve the quality of life of our middle class and create healthy communities for our children.
Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, the Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, and Minister of Municipal Affairs and Land Occupancy, Minister of Public Security and Minister responsible for the Montréal region, Martin Coiteux, confirmed today the addition of new eligible project categories for the Small Communities Fund. Also present at the announcement were Member for Beauce-Sud, Paul Busque, President of the Quebec Federation for Municipalities and Mayor of Saint-Elzéar, Richard Lehoux, and First Vice-President of the Quebec Union of Municipalities and Mayor of Drummondville, Alexandre Cusson.
The new project categories include, among others, cultural, recreational and tourism infrastructure. Concretely, this means that projects including new constructions, expansions or rehabilitations of existing infrastructure such as arenas, museums, community centres or interpretation centres will now be eligible.
The addition of these categories, included in the New Building Canada-Quebec Agreement originally signed on May 22, 2015, is specific to the Small Communities Fund. Under this Fund the federal government has allocated $176.95 million to Quebec for the years 2014-2015 to 2023-2024. These amendments also aim to provide Quebec municipalities with more flexibility.
The deadline for submitting projects for one of these categories is March 31, 2018. The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Land Occupancy will receive all of the funding requests from municipalities. The Ministry will, however, delegate the implementation of some terms of the program to other departments of the Government of Quebec.
Quotes
"Today's agreement demonstrates Canada's commitment to working closely with Quebec to meet the unique needs of small communities across the province. By offering flexible funding for a wider range of infrastructure projects, Canadian communities will benefit from investments that promote sustainable development while ensuring long-term economic prosperity. Municipalities know best what their communities need, and those insights are integral to building the Canada of the 21st century."
The Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities
"The Government of Quebec is happy to announce this good news today. This is a step that shows yet again our willingness to meet the specific needs of small communities, who are essential partners in regional economic development. By broadening the type of projects eligible under the Small Communities Fund, we are helping communities not only to improve their infrastructure but we are also improving the quality of life of citizens and creating jobs in all areas of Quebec."
Martin Coiteux, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Land Occupancy, Minister of Public Security and Minister responsible for the Montréal region
"By allowing municipalities to fund sports, cultural and tourism infrastructure under the Small Communities Fund, the Governments of Quebec and Canada are supporting the efforts of thousands of members of the FQM with regards to a dynamic occupation of the territory. With the contruction and rehabilitation of arenas, interpretation centres or museums, municipalities will be able to offer citizens in Quebec regions a good place to live! We can only salute this vision and applaud today's announcement, here in the small community of Saint-Elzéar in Beauce."
Richard Lehoux, President of the Quebec Federation fo Municipalities and Mayor of Saint-Elzéar
"UMQ salutes how the two ministers listened and collaborated to make the NBCQF better so that it meets the needs and realities of municipalities more effectively. The funding that will now be able to be allocated to local infrastructure projects for tourism, culture, leisure and passenger ferry services will help municipalities across Quebec foster an environment that is conducive to development and prosperity in their communities. More than $14 billion in projects are ready to start across the province. Local initiatives are abounding!"
Alexandre Cusson, First Vice-President of the Quebec Union of Municipalities and Mayor of Drummondville
About the Small Communities Fund
The Small Communities Fund aims to help maintain infrastructure in small municipalities and equip those municipalities to meet existing regulation. The fund is supported by the Government of Canada and the Government of Quebec.
Related Links
-
To learn more about Investing in Canada, the Government of Canada's new $120 billion infrastructure plan.
-
To learn more about federal infrastructure investments in Quebec.
-
For more information about the Building Canada-Quebec Fund (available in French only).
-
For more information about the New Building Canada-Quebec Fund, Small Communities Fund volet (available in French only).
Contacts
Brook Simpson
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities
613-219-0149
Brook.Simpson@Canada.ca
Marie-Ève Pelletier
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Land Occupancy,
Minister of Public Safety and
Minister Responsible for the Montréal region
418-691-2050
For Information
Infrastructure Canada
613-960-9251
Toll-free: 1-877-250-7154
Email: media@infc.gc.ca
Twitter: @INFC_eng
Web site: Infrastructure Canada
Caroline St-Pierre
Communications Branch,
Ministry of Municipal Affairs
and Land Occupancy and
Ministry of Public Security
418-691-2015, ext. 3746
Search for related information by keyword