Papineauville, Quebec, February 12, 2010 – Acting on behalf of the Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of State for Canada Economic Development, the Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Member of Parliament for Pontiac, took the opportunity while in the Papineau Regional County Municipality (RCM) today to announce the awarding of $1.3 million in total funding to several organizations and businesses in the region.
Granted through the Community Diversification program, this assistance will serve to strengthen various sectors of the economy. Thus, the $900,000 in repayable funding awarded to Équipements Lourds Papineau, a manufacturer of interchangeable boxes for heavy trucks, will help benefit the manufacturing industry, a sector whose growth depends largely on innovation. The repayable contribution of $117,500 to Auberge Couleurs de France and non-repayable grant of $70,500 to the Association des motoneigistes de la Vallée-de-la-Nation, for their part, will go to supporting projects likely to bolster the region’s tourism potential. Lastly, the $250,000 in non-repayable funding awarded to Intelligence Papineau, an organization established to bring high-speed Internet to the RCM, will help make this technology more widely accessible.
“As today’s announcement shows, Canada Economic Development is taking action in promising sectors whose growth is essential to the economic health of the Outaouais region. Whether it is tourism, technological innovation or manufacturing, each of these sectors reflects the outstanding dynamism of our entrepreneurs and the perseverance of those who care deeply about the development of their communities. Our government has equipped itself with tools to support projects that foster community economic diversification. These four projects we are funding will result in the maintenance of some 50 jobs and the creation of 12 others in the area,” stated Minister Cannon.
Équipements Lourds Papineau, based in Saint-André-Avellin, will use the assistance to expand its premises and acquire new equipment to increase its production capabilities. Auberge Couleurs de France, located in Duhamel, intends to use the contribution to improve its lodging and reception services. The funding awarded to Intelligence Papineau will enable the organization to extend high-speed Internet services throughout the Papineau RCM and to the municipalities of l'Ange-Gardien and Notre-Dame-de-la-Salette. Lastly, the Association des motoneigistes de la Vallée-de-la-Nation is now better able to ensure maintenance of its trails after using its contribution to acquire a new snow grooming machine.
“A little over a year ago, our government adopted Canada’s Economic Action Plan to help curb the economic crisis. This large-scale measure is aimed not only at bringing about our rapid economic recovery, but also at laying the foundations for solid long-term growth and job creation. This Plan will translate into nearly $62 billion in funding being invested in our economy by the year 2011 and will help prepare Canada’s regions to position themselves advantageously on increasingly competitive global markets,” Minister Cannon concluded.
For more on Canada’s Economic Action Plan, visit www.actionplan.gc.ca.
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Sources:
François Bélisle
Communications
Canada Economic Development
Tel.: 819-825-5260, ext. 235
Cell.: 819-856-3520
E-mail: francois.belisle@dec-ced.gc.ca
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
Catherine Loubier
Director of Communications
Office of the Honourable Lawrence Cannon
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Tel.: 613-995-1851
E-mail: catherine.loubier@international.gc.ca
