Stanbridge East, Quebec, August 14, 2009 – The Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of State for Canada Economic Development, today joined Pierre Paradis, Member of the National Assembly for Brome-Missisquoi, acting on behalf of Michelle Courchesne, Quebec’s Ministre de l’Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport, in announcing that Stanbridge East will receive $12,703 in joint government funding toward a new lighting system for its outdoor skating rink located behind the municipal community centre. This project, which will necessitate an overall investment of $25,407, will be funded equally by the governments of Quebec and Canada, with the municipality of Stanbridge East assuming the remainder of the project’s costs.
This new infrastructure will answer a growing need among the younger residents of the municipality, which has a population of about 850 inhabitants. The new lighting system will make the rink more accessible to users, thereby encouraging residents to adopt a healthier, more active lifestyle and allowing families to come together to practice a shared activity.
“I am convinced that this new lighting system will satisfy the needs of the citizens of Stanbridge East and of the many users of the skating rink. This community equipment will make it possible to extend operation of the rink into the evening hours and thereby encourage the practice of sports. It is important to the Government of Canada that all communities be able to benefit from quality infrastructure to promote their development and well-being,” stated Minister Lebel.
“I am delighted for the people of Stanbridge East, who will now be able to benefit from an improved facility for the practice of ice sports and healthy living in a safe environment. The Government of Quebec is more committed now than ever to encouraging citizens to engage in physical activity and adopt a healthy lifestyle. To that end, the signing of the Canada-Quebec agreement on the Recreational Infrastructure Canada Program is excellent news in that citizens from all corners of Quebec will now enjoy better access to quality sports and recreational facilities,” added Mr. Paradis.
On June 30, the governments of Canada and Quebec signed the Canada-Quebec Recreational Infrastructure Canada Program Agreement to help stimulate recreational infrastructure construction activity in the province over the next two years. Under this agreement, the two levels of government will each allocate $37.4 million toward the tripartite funding of recreational infrastructure projects with municipal administrations or local organizations, thereby leveraging greater support, as in the case of other infrastructure programs.
This government investment is made through the Programme de soutien aux installations sportives et récréatives of the Government of Quebec’s Fonds pour le développement du sport et de l’activité physique, local or regional development support infrastructure sub-components of the Building Canada Fund – Quebec administered by the Ministère des Affaires municipales, des Régions et de l’Occupation du territoire, and the Recreational Infrastructure Canada Program.
The Recreational Infrastructure Canada Program, part of Canada’s Economic Action Plan, is intended to stimulate immediate economic recovery and reduce the short-term impacts of the global recession. Government investment in this area will help create new jobs and improve the population’s health and quality of life. For more on this plan, see www.actionplan.gc.ca.
The Fonds pour le développement du sport et de l’activité physique was established by the Government of Quebec to ensure the province’s regions better access to new and improved sports facilities for the promotion of healthier lifestyles among their populations. For further details, visit http://www.mels.gouv.qc.ca/sections/fondDeveloppement/.
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Sources:
Kim Ledoux
Press Secretary
Ministre de l'Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport
Tel.: 418-644-0664
Jean-Philippe Payment
Special Assistant
Office of the Honourable Denis Lebel
Canada Economic Development
Tel.: 514-496-1282
