Building Canada Fund – Quebec, Communities Component
Mont-Joli, Quebec, March 29, 2010 – Bernard Généreux, Member of Parliament for Montmagny–L'Islet–Kamouraska–Rivière-du-Loup, acting on behalf of the Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of State for Canada Economic Development, today joined Laurent Lessard, Quebec Minister of Municipal Affairs, Regions and Land Occupancy, in announcing that several municipalities in the Bas-Saint-Laurent region will receive $12,147,440 in total government financial assistance under the Communities Component of the Building Canada Fund – Quebec to carry out various infrastructure projects.
Renovation of Alain-Côté sports centre in Matane
This project involves the renovation of module 1 of the Centre sportif Alain-Côté, which currently includes a 17,000 square-foot North American regulation-size rink, changing rooms, restaurant, box office, technical areas and administrative offices. Module 2 of the facility will be completely demolished and rebuilt to house an amphitheatre with a 20,000 square-foot Olympic-size ice rink. The Alain-Côté sports centre, the only artificial skating rink in the Regional County Municipality (RCM) of Matane, serves a population of some 22,378 inhabitants.
Completion of this project will necessitate an overall eligible investment of $13,852,077. The governments of Quebec and Canada will each contribute $4,617,359, for a total of $9,234,718 in combined government funding, while the City of Matane will also invest $4,617,359 in the project.
Expansion and redevelopment of Sayabec community centre
This project involves renovating and expanding the Centre communautaire de Sayabec, a central hub of community activity. The only centre in the region with the capacity to host such large-scale events as exhibitions, concerts and conventions, the Sayabec community centre will be expanded to better meet the local population's needs for community and recreational services.
Completion of this project will necessitate an overall eligible investment of $1,780,888. The governments of Quebec and Canada will each contribute $593,630, for a total of $1,187,260 in combined government funding, while the Municipality of Sayabec will invest $593,628 in the project.
Construction of a rest stop along Highway 20 in Mont-Joli
This project involves the construction of a rest stop with connected services along Highway 20. The work will include relocating the Rivière-Blanche historical train station, carrying out landscaping work, installing street furniture and laying a 1,100-metre multi-use path to link up with the Route Verte, Quebec's Green Route. Roads connected with the project will also be built, as will a parking lot with spaces for recreational vehicles. With this project, the City of Mont-Joli hopes to diversify and improve its tourism offering to help draw and retain visitors to the area. By virtue of its strategic location, this rest stop is expected to become an important site in Mont-Joli.
Completion of this project will necessitate an overall eligible investment of $1,655,280. The governments of Quebec and Canada will each contribute $551,760, for a total of $1,103,520 in combined government funding, while the City of Mont-Joli will also invest $551,760 in the project.
Expansion of the Saint-Gabriel-de-Rimouski multi-purpose centre
This project involves enlarging the Centre polyvalent de Saint-Gabriel-de-Rimouski by adding a 600-seat hall and installing a permanent stage. The existing building will be expanded by 2,400 square feet to accommodate a stage, performers' area and storage space, thereby enabling municipal organizations to put on larger-scale events and limiting the amount of time required to reconfigure the hall. The project will benefit the entire population of the La Mitis Regional County Municipality (RCM) by drawing better-quality shows and increasing tourism traffic to the area.
Completion of this project will necessitate an overall eligible investment of $550,455. The governments of Quebec and Canada will each contribute $183,485, for a total of $366,970 in combined government funding, while the Municipality of City of Saint-Gabriel-de-Rimouski will also invest $183,485 in the project.
Improvement of Nicolas-Rioux Road in Saint-Eugène-de-Ladrière
The project in the Parish of Saint-Eugène-de-Ladrière involves widening Nicolas-Rioux Road by 3.5 metres and repaving the surface. This initiative will help facilitate access to various activities by improving the traffic flow and user safety on this important roadway.
Completion of this project will necessitate an overall eligible investment of $382,459. The governments of Quebec and Canada will each contribute $127,486, for a total of $254,972 in combined government funding, while the Parish of Saint-Eugène-de-Ladrière will invest $127,487 in the project.
"The renovation, improvement, expansion and construction projects in these Bas-Saint-Laurent municipalities will serve the interests of local residents and businesses. In supporting these initiatives, we are ensuring that the population enjoys the high quality of life for which our country is famous. Indeed, the Government of Canada is committed to equipping every community with modern facilities to ensure citizens' health and safety. The renewal of public infrastructure is part of a broad action plan that will enable us to thrive and prosper in a healthy environment," stated MP Bernard Généreux.
"By participating in these projects, the Government of Quebec is moving forward to ensure the province's municipalities have infrastructure that meets their unique realities while fostering sustainable development. By injecting new capital into the Quebec Infrastructure Plan, our government is looking to accelerate the execution of numerous infrastructure projects throughout the province, like these ones in the Bas-Saint-Laurent region, in an effort to improve Quebecers' well-being, create jobs and promote a high-performance economy. In this way, we are leaving the municipalities a legacy of quality infrastructure with which to face the challenges of the future," added Minister Laurent Lessard.
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.
For provinces, like Quebec, that have committed all of their funding under the Communities Component, the Government of Canada's Economic Action Plan provides for up to $500 million in additional funding for projects that will be completed by March 31, 2011.
In Quebec, a joint federal-provincial contribution of $232 million will be used to fund 106 infrastructure projects.
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 information on the Government of Quebec's Quebec Infrastructure Plan, see www.infrastructures.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
Sylvain Bourassa
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Municipal Affairs, Regions and Land Occupancy
Tel.: 418-691-2050
