Sainte-Julie , Quebec , October 2, 2009 – N.-P. Lapierre Park in Sainte-Julie will soon be getting a new synthetic soccer field, today jointly announced Nicole Ménard, Quebec's Minister of Tourism and Minister responsible for the Montérégie Region, on behalf of her colleague Michelle Courchesne, Quebec Minister of Education, Recreation and Sports, and the Honourable Claude Carignan, Senator for Mille Isles, acting on behalf of the Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of State for Canada Economic Development. The project, which calls for a total investment of $1,950,108, will be carried out thanks to $937,554 in combined government funding contributed in equal parts by the governments of Quebec and Canada, in partnership with the City of Sainte-Julie.
The project involves constructing an 11-player soccer field with a synthetic surface, which will include, width wise, two fields for seven players, installing a lighting system, goals, stands, player benches, a fence and lighted pathways to the new field.
“Registrations in Sainte-Julie soccer club activities have really soared over the past few seasons. So much so that the club currently has to limit the number of practices and competitive teams because of the lack of fields. If we want to encourage people to be active physically, we need to give them access to sports facilities. So I am very pleased that our governments are providing the City of Sainte-Julie with funding for a new soccer field that will accommodate more players, while also offering them safer playing conditions,” said Minister Nicole Ménard.
“Many of our recreational facilities have become outdated and are in need of renovation. However, in a recessionary period like the one we are experiencing, it is difficult for most municipalities to assume the costs of such projects. That is why the federal government adopted the Recreational Infrastructure Program, which will invest $500 million over two years in modernizing our sports facilities Canada-wide. I am delighted to see this project move forward because I know it will significantly improve the quality of the living environment for Sainte-Julie residents,” explained Senator Carignan.
The governments of Canada and Quebec signed an agreement to accelerate the execution of recreational infrastructure modernization and rehabilitation projects in Quebec over the next two years. To that end, the Government of Canada will invest $37.4 million and the Government of Quebec at least an equivalent amount in recreational infrastructure projects carried out in cost-sharing partnership with municipal administrations or local organizations.These investments are expected to generate greater financial leverage, as is the case with the other infrastructure programs.
The funding announced today has been awarded 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 and through the Recreational Infrastructure Canada Program.
The Recreational Infrastructure Canada Program, part of Canada's Economic Action Plan adopted in January 2009, 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 in order to promote healthier lifestyles among their populations. For further details on this program, visit www.mels.gouv.qc.ca/sections/fondDeveloppement/ (available in French only).
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Sources:
Kim Ledoux
Press Secretary of the Quebec Minister of Education, Recreation and Sports
Tel.: 418-644-0664
Simon Bachand
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Denis Lebel
Canada Economic Development
Tel.: 613-996-6236
E-mail: simon.bachand@dec-ced.gc.ca
Émilie Rouleau
Press Secretary of the Quebec Minister of Tourism
Tel.: 418-528-8063
