May 20, 2009
Grand Forks, British Columbia
Today, the Honourable Lynne Yelich, Minister of State for Western Economic Diversification, announced funding to support the City of Grand Forks to install a fibre optic network in the community.
"Our Government knows that telecommunications infrastructure is essential for the future development of Grand Forks," said Minister of State Yelich. "Today's investment in a fibre optic network will create new and exciting opportunities for the local economy."
The investment will help to install a fibre optic network in the region, which will feature an aerial fibre strung to the city's existing transmission pole network. The new network will serve the city, including school, health, commercial, industrial and residential properties along the main distribution system. This project will promote sustainable development for the region by enhancing telecommunications infrastructure and improving the competitiveness of local businesses, which will attract and retain new entrepreneurs to the region.
"I am delighted that this funding has been provided to improve technology that adds to our community's development," said Mayor Brian Taylor. "This project will act as a catalyst in our efforts to move away from the historic reliance on the forest sector and create the first step towards moving our community forward in the competitive world of high speed connectivity for education, business and commerce."
The Government of Canada is providing more than $400,000 towards the City of Grand Forks project through Western Economic Diversification under the Community Economic Diversification Initiative (CEDI), a component of the federal Mountain Pine Beetle Program.
Managed by Western Economic Diversification Canada, CEDI will invest more than $33 million over three years towards projects in communities most at risk from the Mountain Pine Beetle infestation. 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 short- 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 Canada.
Western Economic Diversification Canada works with the provinces, industry associations, and communities to promote the development and diversification of the western economy, coordinates federal economic activities in the West and represents the interests of western Canadians in national decision making.
For more information on the federal Mountain Pine Beetle Program, please visit: http://mpb.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/
For additional information (media only), please contact:
Lisa Hutniak
Minister's Office
Western Economic Diversification
Lisa.Hutniak@wd-deo.gc.ca
Brian Taylor
Mayor
City of Grand Forks
Tel: 250-443-4177
WD Toll-Free Number:1 888 338-WEST (9378)
Teletypewriter (TTY): 1 877 303-3388
Website: WD is online at www.wd-deo.gc.ca.
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