Saint-Alexis-des-Monts, Quebec, July 8, 2009 − The Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of State for Canada Economic Development, today announced that L’Auberge du Lac Sacacomie Inc. has been awarded $441,000 in repayable funding through the Community Economic Diversification Initiative – Vitality (CEDI-Vitality) to create an integrated sustainable development plan and implement an environmental management system covering all facets of the facility’s operations.
The inn, which draws more than a third of its clientele from foreign markets, has been operating for more than 10 years and is constantly striving to offer new and improved products and services. Its latest project involves adding a high-end Nordic spa, which is expected to generate a nearly 10% increase in the number of guests and extend their average length of stay from two days to three days by the year 2011. Numerous studies confirm that the eco-spa market has been growing rapidly over the past few years all over the world.
“Tourism is one of the driving forces of the Quebec economy, and Canada Economic Development places considerable importance on the sector’s growth. This project qualifies as sustainable on a number of fronts: it is timely, will lead to the creation of 26 quality jobs and promises to further the economic vitality of Saint-Alexis-des-Monts,” explained the Minister of State.
Concretely, Canada Economic Development’s contribution will be used to carry out studies, develop strategies and monitor results and progress in such areas as eco-efficiency, clean energy and bioclimatic engineering. The L’Auberge du Lac Sacacomie project is entirely consistent with Canada Economic Development’s sustainable development strategy, a plan that encourages small and medium-sized enterprises to adopt environmentally-responsible commercial practices while remaining profitable, being able to create and adjust new technologies and expanding into new markets.
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Sources :
Lyne Montpellier
Communications
Canada Economic Development
Tel.: 819-371-5182
or 800-567-8637
E-mail: lyne.montpellier@dec-ced.gc.ca
Stéphanie Desforges
Senior Special Assistant, Communications
Office of the Honourable Denis Lebel
Canada Economic Development
Cell.: 514-496-1282
E-mail: stephanie.desforges@dec-ced.gc.ca
