Sept-Îles, Quebec, January 12, 2009 – The Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of State for Canada Economic Development, today announced the awarding of $439,646 in non-repayable funding to Club Nord-Neige Forestville Inc. to repair sections of the Trans-Québec 3 (TQ 3) provincial snowmobiling trail severely damaged by the heavy rainstorms that struck the Côte-Nord region in spring and summer 2008.
This financial assistance will be used more specifically to rebuild culverts, fix overpasses, recondition trails and supervise these various repairs. Restoring the TQ 3 is seen as essential to the successful launch of the snowmobiling season and continued safety of riders.
"A great many Quebec enterprises and communities benefit from the economic spinoffs generated by the snowmobiling industry. In Côte-Nord, for example, this industry has enjoyed strong growth due to the major investments and promotional campaigns undertaken in recent years to draw an increasing number of clients from outside Quebec," explained the Minister of State. "This funding from the Government of Canada will not only serve to build the Côte-Nord’s reputation as a top-notch snowmobiling destination, it will also help preserve the jobs tied to this industry and shore up the region’s economic diversification efforts," he added.
The snowmobiling industry brings in nearly $14 million per year to the Côte-Nord economy and is responsible for some 10 direct jobs and numerous indirect jobs in the region. The TQ 3 alone accounts for about 12% of the province’s snowmobiling network.
The work, which will require an overall investment of $1,067,543, will be carried out in partnership with the Manicouagan and Duplessis regional tourism associations and various local snowmobiling clubs, of which there are 14—with a combined total of nearly 4,300 members—in the Côte-Nord region.
Funding for this project has been granted through Canada Economic Development’s Community Economic Diversification Initiative, a measure designed to support communities posting slow economic growth.
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Sources:
Claudie Lamontagne
Communications
Canada Economic Development
Tel.: 418-722-3282 or 1-800-463-9073
E-mail: claudie.lamontagne@dec-ced.gc.ca
Éric Lefebvre
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Denis Lebel
Canada Economic Development
Cell.: 613-608-7906
E-mail: eric.lefebvre@dec-ced.gc.ca
