New Richmond, Quebec, April 21,
2006 ― The Honourable Jean-Pierre Blackburn, Minister of Labour
and Minister of Canada Economic Development, today announced $3,300,000 in
non-repayable government funding for three economic diversification projects in
the Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine region.
La Fondation communautaire
Gaspésie-Les Îles will receive $3,000,000 over three years to support two
initiatives that have proven successful in helping to curb the exodus of young
people from the region. The first initiative, "Gaspésie
- Les Îles : Terre d'accueil des jeunes diplômés", is a financial
incentive program aimed at encouraging young graduates to remain in or return to
the region by providing them with job opportunities in local enterprises. "Se brancher au savoir", the second initiative
spearheaded by the Fondation, is designed to foster
stronger ties between SMEs and the university network by promoting pilot
projects in such emerging and prosperity-building sectors as aquaculture and
wind energy.
The Société d'aide au
développement de la collectivité (SADC) de Baie‑des‑Chaleurs, one of the
Community Futures Development Corporations (CFDC) serving the region, will
receive $200,000 to develop and implement an economic diversification and
business mobilization strategy in the Bonaventure and Avignon Regional County
Municipalities (RCMs), two areas that have been affected by the shutdown of
Smurfit Stone Inc. and ACI Telecentrics. This strategy will help support
economic stakeholders in their efforts to start up businesses, diversify
existing enterprises and promote entrepreneurship.
Lastly, Enzyme Laboratoire de
Testing Inc. will receive a $100,000 contribution to facilitate its
establishment in the Gaspésie region. Already firmly-rooted in Quebec, this
young exporting company is recognized for its expertise in the testing and
translation of video games. The arrival of this enterprise will enable the
region, which has few technology-based enterprises, to make greater inroads into
this sector and will help contribute to the diversification of the
Baie-des-Chaleurs economy. From its first year of operation, this enterprise is
expected to create some 50 full-time skilled jobs in the computer science and
translation fields.
"These three projects will help breathe new life into
the Gaspésie and Îles-de-la-Madeleine economy," stated Minister Blackburn. "This
funding from Canada Economic Development will, with the support of young
graduates and local enterprises, help bolster the development potential of a
region fully engaged in the process of economic restructuring. I am delighted
that new high-quality jobs are already helping to keep knowledge in the
region."
It should be recalled that Canada Economic Development's
mandate is to promote the economic development of the regions of Quebec.
Primarily through financial assistance programs, the Agency elicits and supports
the implementation of economic development projects.
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Sources:
Karina GagnonCommunicationsCanada Economic DevelopmentTel.: 418 368-5870 or 1 866 368-0044E-mail: karina.gagnon@dec-ced.gc.ca
Roxane MarchandPress
SecretaryOffice of the Honourable Jean‑Pierre
BlackburnCanada Economic DevelopmentTel.: 819 953-5646Cell.: 613 816-5094E-mail: roxane.marchand@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca
Canada Economic Development is on line at www.dec-ced.gc.ca.
