Saint-Blaise-sur-Richelieu, Quebec, October 2, 2009 – The Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of State for Canada Economic Development, today joined Nicole Ménard, MNA for Laporte, Quebec's Minister of Tourism and Minister responsible for the Montérégie Region, acting on behalf of Laurent Lessard, Minister of Municipal Affairs, Regions and Land Occupancy, in announcing that the Municipality of Saint-Blaise-sur-Richelieu will receive $928,212 in joint government funding under the Communities component of the Building Canada Fund – Quebec to expand the recreation cottage and renovate the community centre.
The Municipality plans to use this funding to demolish the lateral sides of the recreation cottage so as to enlarge the building. Currently covering a surface area of 2,200 square feet, the rec centre will almost double in size, to 4,042 square feet. In addition, the adjacent community centre will be partially renovated to improve its thermal performance.
Directly benefiting 1,993 local residents, these improvements will help enhance the cultural offering for citizens, while renewing community infrastructure within a sustainable development context.
"Once the work is complete, Saint-Blaise-sur-Richelieu's community facilities will be better able to meet the needs of its residents. 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 provides concrete support to a wide range of projects dedicated to improving the health and well-being of our citizens," stated Minister Lebel.
"In supporting this major project, the Government of Quebec is moving forward to ensure that 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 Ménard.
Completion of this project will necessitate an overall eligible investment of $1,392,317. The governments of Quebec and Canada will each contribute $464,106 toward the work, for a total of $928,212 combined government funding, while the Municipality of Saint-Blaise-sur-Richelieu will, for its part, invest $464,105 in the project.
The Communities component of the Building Canada Fund – Quebec is a cost-sharing initiative aimed at funding 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.
The contribution from the Government of Canada has been awarded through Canada's Economic Action Plan. To learn more about this plan, visit www.actionplan.gc.ca.
For further details on the Building Canada Fund – Quebec or the process for submitting a funding application, see www.buildingcanada.gc.ca and www.mamrot.gouv.qc.ca.
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Sources:
Simon Bachand
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Denis Lebel
Canada Economic Development
Tel.: 613-996-6236
Catherine Vallée
Communications
Canada Economic Development
Tel.: 514-283-0368
André Poirier
Political Advisor
Office of the Quebec Minister of Tourism and Minister responsible for the Montérégie Region
Tel.: 450-672-1885
Sylvain Bourassa
Press Secretary
Office of the Quebec Minister of Municipal Affairs, Regions and Land Occupancy
Tel.: 418-691-2050
Communications Branch
Department of Municipal Affairs, Regions and Land Occupancy of Quebec
Tel.: 514-873-6403
