HALIFAX, March 13, 2007 -The Honourable Beverley J. Oda, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women, today announced over $500,000 in funding to support the expansion and enhancement of Pier 21 facilities in Halifax.
"Canada's New Government is committed to enriching the lives of Canadians by supporting projects that increase their access to heritage and culture," said Minister Oda. "I am proud to support organizations such as the Pier 21 Society that showcase the diverse heritage of our country."
"Pier 21's dream is to tell the story of all immigration to Canada and become a national centre for celebrating Canada's rich culture and diversity," added Robbie Shaw, Pier 21 Society Chair. "This investment from the Cultural Spaces Canada program will bring Pier 21 closer to reaching our new mandate."
The Society is engaged in a project to expand the facility by adding 5,000 square feet of climate-controlled, secure space for temporary exhibitions and archival storage, and creating multipurpose/education rooms and secure storage space. It will also improve the conditions of and public access to Pier 21's resource centre.
The Pier 21 Society was founded in 1988 to preserve the human history of Pier 21, a national historic site featuring artifacts and exhibits that celebrate Canada's ethnocultural heritage. Pier 21 is a former immigration building that served from 1928 to 1971 as a gateway for one million immigrants, refugees and evacuees who entered Canada, and for more than 500,000 Canadian troops who left the country.
Canada's New Government has provided this funding through the Cultural Spaces Canada program of the Department of Canadian Heritage. This program supports cultural infrastructure projects that increase access for Canadians to the performing, visual, and media arts and that improve physical conditions for artistic creativity and innovation. Funding is also provided for the construction and renovation of arts and heritage facilities, for the purchase of specialized equipment, and for feasibility studies and projects to transform buildings into arts or heritage facilities.
Information:
Véronique Bruneau
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage
and Status of Women
819 997-7788
Claudine Daigle
Director of Communications
Canadian Heritage
Atlantic Region
506 851-3980
