Québec City, Quebec, April 4, 2007 Acting on behalf of the
Honourable Jean-Pierre Blackburn, Minister of Labour and Minister of
Canada Economic Development, Ms. Sylvie Boucher, Member of
Parliament for Beauport Limoilou and Parliamentary Secretary
to the Prime Minister and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for
La Francophonie and Official Languages, today launched the City of Québec's first Enviroclub, in
the presence of Claude Vanasse, Coordinator of Industrial Ecology Services
at the Centre québécois de développement durable (CQDD).
Enviroclub is an initiative of Canada Economic Development,
Environment Canada and the National Research Council of Canada's Industrial
Research Assistance Program. Enviroclubs are aimed at increasing the
productivity of small and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises (SMEs) through
pollution prevention, eco-efficiency and better environmental management in a
perspective of profitability and enhanced competitiveness. To date,
168 SMEs have taken part in the Enviroclubs in different regions of
Quebec.
"The project production process is now under way and should be completed by
the end of fall 2007. Based on the experience of our other Enviroclubs,
there is every reason to believe that the results will be just as positive,"
commented Claude Vanasse of the CQDD.
MP Boucher remarked, "By adopting business practices that are respectful
of the environment, small and medium-sized enterprises save money and increase
their business and market opportunities. This is why
Canada Economic Development is proud to support the establishment of
Enviroclubs which contribute not only to maximizing productivity but also to
increasing the competitiveness of companies in the Quebec region."
"Today's announcement fully respects the $4.5-billion investment committed in
Budget 2007 to provide for clean air and water, the reduction of greenhouse
gases, the fight against climate change and the protection of our natural
environment," said the Honourable Maxime Bernier, Minister of Industry and
Minister responsible for the National Research Council. "This initiative
reinforces Canada's New Government's commitment to support the environment," he
added.
By taking part in this Enviroclub, the SMEs will carry out made-to-measure
pollution prevention projects. These in-plant projects deal, for example, with
process optimization, reduction of energy consumption and the use of resources,
and improvement of operating practices.
The mission of the Centre québécois de développement durable, which
has its head office in Alma and employs 15 people, is to develop tools to
enable companies, organizations, institutions, municipalities and government
departments and agencies to implement sustainable development within their
organizations.
For further information about the Enviroclub initiative, visit www.enviroclub.ca.
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Sources:
Jean DécaryCommunications Canada Economic DevelopmentTel.:
514-283-8818E-mail: jean.decary@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
Dominique BoudreauEnviroclub CoordinatorCentre québécois de
développement durableCell.: 418-564-6866www.cqdd.qc.ca
