Disraeli, Quebec, June 29, 2009 – The Honourable Christian Paradis, Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada, and Laurent Lessard, Quebec Ministre des Affaires municipales, des Régions et de l’Occupation du territoire, are pleased to announce that the City of Disraeli will receive $592,424 in joint government funding under the Communities Component of the Building Canada Fund – Quebec for the renovation of its arena and refurbishment of three municipal parks.
The arena renovation work involves repairing the building’s badly-leaking roof and completely rebuilding the adjacent parking lot to make it safe and useable throughout the year. Certain facilities will also be modernized in three of the municipality’s parks. In 4H Park, a lighting system will be added to illuminate the river water falls, and a six-kilometre walking path and cross-country ski trail will be laid out in Saint-François Park. Lastly, a new park chalet with bathroom facilities will be built in Dion Park to replace the one that recently burned down, and a new skating rink and play structures will be added. All of these improvements will better enable citizens to incorporate sports and physical activity into their lifestyles year-round.
“Once this work is complete, the Disraeli arena, along with the three refurbished parks, will ensure the local population is able to enjoy facilities that are more modern, more user-friendly and better suited to the practice of both winter and summer activities. Our communities across the country have to be able to rely on quality public infrastructure to ensure their growth and development and to better face the challenges ahead. That is why the Government of Canada is proud to join forces with the Government of Quebec in providing concrete support to a wide range of projects dedicated to improving infrastructure that is essential to the well-being of our communities,” stated Minister Paradis.
“By supporting this major project, the Government of Quebec is stepping up to ensure the province’s municipalities have infrastructure that suits their unique realities while fostering sustainable development, a key element of any modern, wealth-building economy. By injecting new capital into the Quebec Infrastructure Plan, our government is looking to accelerate the execution of numerous infrastructure projects throughout the province in an effort to improve the well-being of Quebecers, create jobs and promote a high-performance economy. Our government wants to leave Quebec municipalities a legacy of quality infrastructure with which to face the challenges of the future,” added Minister Lessard.
The Government of Quebec and Government of Canada will each contribute $296,212 toward this project, or $592,424 in combined government funding, while the City of Disraeli will itself invest $296,213.
The Communities Component of the Building Canada Fund – Quebec is a cost-sharing initiative aimed at funding the execution of infrastructure projects in communities with fewer than 100,000 inhabitants. These communities are thus able to use this assistance to improve infrastructure that is in major need of revitalization, including water treatment plants, water supply systems and cultural and sports centres.
An unprecedented funding commitment on the part of the Government of Canada, the Building Canada Fund – Quebec provides stable and predictable funding to support infrastructure projects. In Quebec, nearly $4 billion will be allocated to that end.
For further details on the Building Canada Fund – Quebec and the funding application process, see www.buildingcanada-chantierscanada.gc.ca and www.mamrot.gouv.qc.ca/ .
- 30 -
Sources:
Stéphanie Desforges
Senior Special Assistant
Office of the Honourable Denis Lebel
Canada Economic Development
Tel.: 514-496-1282
E-mail: stephanie.desforges@dec-ced.gc.ca
Karina Gagnon
Communications
Canada Economic Development
Tel.: 418-368-6048 or 1-866-368-0044
E-mail: karina.gagnon@dec-ced.gc.ca
Sylvain Bourassa
Press Secretary
Office of the Ministre des Affaires municipales,
des Régions et de l’Occupation du territoire
Tel.: 418-691-2050
