August 26, 2009
Bow Island, Alberta
LaVar Payne, Member of Parliament for Medicine Hat, on behalf of the Honourable Lynne Yelich, Minister of State for Western Economic Diversification, announced Harper Government support to help the Bow Island and District Fire Department Fund Raising Association strengthen economic opportunities in Bow Island.
"Through Canada's Economic Action Plan, our Government is creating jobs and building stronger communities," said MP Payne. "The improved Bow Island Storage and Fire Training Facility will increase safety and fire awareness within our region."
The Bow Island and District Fire Department Fund Raising Association will contract local labourers to construct a new storage and fire training facility adjacent to the current fire hall. The Bow Island Storage and Fire Training Facility will be used for emergency vehicle storage, smokehouse training, regional training sessions for both volunteer firefighters and emergency medical personnel, and provide first aid training sessions for the community. This investment will create jobs, provide training opportunities and enhance the skills and abilities of the volunteer emergency and safety resources in Bow Island.
Federal funding of $163,823 is being provided by under the Community Adjustment Fund (CAF), a major job-creating investment from Canada's Economic Action Plan.
"This project fulfills a 10 year dream to have a facility with the required space to properly conduct weekly training of our members while also freeing up fundraising money for the purchase of specialized equipment we need more than ever in the Fire and EMS world," said Robin Knibbs, President of the Bow Island & District Fire Department Fund Raising Association. "This building will not only benefit our members but others from our region as we can now better host Fire and EMS courses in our expanded facility."
As part of Canada's Economic Action Plan, the Community Adjustment Fund (CAF) is a two-year, $1-billion national program that will provide an economic stimulus by supporting projects that create jobs and maintain employment in rural communities.
The fund will provide $306 million over two years to support the most affected western Canadian communities, such as those that are heavily reliant on resource-based industries, for instance forestry, mining, agriculture and fisheries, and communities that depend on the manufacturing industry. Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD) is delivering the fund in the four western provinces.
Visit the Community Adjustment Fund (CAF) in the West or Canada's Economic Action Plan for more information.
For additional information, contact:
Donna Kinley
Regional Manager, Communications
Western Economic Diversification Canada
Edmonton, Alberta
Tel: (780) 495-6892
Cell: (780) 991-7432
Kelly Byam
Fire Chief and Ambulance Co-ordinator
Bow Island & District Fire Department Fund Raising Association
Tel: (403) 545-2424
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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