Local residents, artisans and businesses are one step closer to having a new Ecological Centre for the Arts, thanks to a investment by the Government of Canada, through Western Economic Diversification Canada.
Federal funding of $970,000 was announced today by the Honourable Jim Abbott, Parliamentary Secretary for Canadian Heritage and Member of Parliament for Kootenay - Columbia, on behalf of the Honourable Rona Ambrose, President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada, Minister of Int ergovernmental Affairs and Minister of Western Economic Diversification. Funding is provided through the Community Economic Diversification Initiative (CEDI), a component of the federal Mountain Pine Beetle Program.
"The beauty of Christina Lake an d the vibrant arts and cultural life found here make it a natural tourist destination," said Mr. Abbott. "This investment will help establish Christina Lake as a year-round attraction, bringing new jobs and investments to the region."
"The project announced today is an example of how the Government of Canada is addressing the needs of communities affected by the Mountain Pine Beetle infestation," said Minister Lunn. "Through this support, our government is helping impacted communities turn challen ges into economic opportunities."
Funding will help the Christina Lake Chamber of Commerce complete construction of a Welcome Centre- Phase 1 of the Ecological Centre for the Arts project. This 480 square metre center will consist of office space and a tourist information center, featuring year-round retail shopping and a café.
"We are grateful for this contribution from the Government of Canada. We are very excited about this new Centre being created here. It has been a dream of th e community for over ten years and with the downturn in the forestry sector, the timing couldn't be better," said Sheldon Weigel, President of the Christina Lake Chamber of Commerce. "We will be showcasing arts and culture in a high performance building t hat will be an example for builders in our energy conscious era."
Managed by Western Economic Diversification Canada, CEDI will invest more than $33 million over two years towards projects in communities most at risk from the Mountain Pine Beetle i nfestation. The program supports a wide range of projects that further economic growth, job creation and future community sustainability.
The CEDI program is part of the Government of Canada's $200 million comprehensive response to mitigate the sho rt- and long-term effects of the Mountain Pine Beetle infestation on B.C.'s forestry sector. This federal Mountain Pine Beetle Program is led by Natural Resources Canada, in collaboration with Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD) and Transport Can ada.
Western Economic Diversification Canada is a department of the Government of Canada that works in partnership with the provinces, industry associations and communities to promote the development and diversification of the western economy as w ell as to represent the interests of the West in national decision-making.
For more information on the federal Mountain Pine Beetle Program, please visit: http://mpb.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca.
For add itional information, contact:
Pierre Floréa
Director of Communications
Office of the President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and Minister of Western Economic Diversification
Telephone: (613) 943-1838
Bob Dupee
Project Manager
Christina Living Arts Centre
Tel: (250) 447-6561
