TIMMINS, Ontario, December 10, 2007 - On behalf of the Honourable Josée Verner, Minister of Canadian Heritage, Status of Women and Official Languages, Pierre Lemieux, Parliamentary Secretary for Official Languages and Member of Parliament (Glengarry-Prescott-Russell), today announced financial support to the Government of Ontario for the construction of a new campus at Collège Boréal in Timmins, Ontario.
Funding of $4 million over two years will be used to expand access to post-secondary studies for Francophone students in Northern Ontario.
"The Government of Canada is working with the provinces and territories to increase educational opportunities for Francophones in minority communities," said Minister Verner. "Our support for this project shows we are committed to ensuring that Canada's Francophone communities flourish."
"Our Government works very closely with the Government of Ontario to encourage the growth of the Franco-Ontarian community and ensure its full participation in Canadian society," said Mr. Lemieux.
"We're pleased the federal government is adding to our $7.5 million investment in this exciting project to build a French-language college campus next to the largest French-language secondary school in the province," said John Milloy, Ontario Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities. "The campus in Timmins will offer more opportunities to French-language students from Northeastern Ontario to study closer to home and develop their skills for the future."
"By contributing to the construction of Collège Boréal's new campus in Timmins, the federal government clearly reaffirms its commitment to the achievement of a first choice education for French-speaking minority communities," said the President of Collège Boréal, Denis Hubert. "On behalf of the young people with bright futures, I am pleased with the recognition from the Honourable Josée Verner, Minister of Canadian Heritage, her political and administrative staff, and with their commitment to French-language education in Ontario."
The construction of a new campus at Collège Boréal in Timmins will allow the Collège to better serve students and to meet the social and economic development needs of the region's Francophone community.
The Government of Canada has provided funding under the Minority Language Education component of the Development of Official Language Communities program. The aim of this Department of Canadian Heritage program is to foster the development of Canada's French and English minority language communities and to enable them to participate fully in all aspects of Canadian life.
Information:
Dominic Gosselin
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage, Status of Women and Official Languages
819 997-7788
Donald Boulanger
A/Chief, Media Relations
Canadian Heritage
819 994-9101
