Lotbinière, Quebec, May 17, 2010 – Acting on behalf of the Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of State for Canada Economic Development, Jacques Gourde, Member of Parliament for Lotbinière, today joined Laurent Lessard, Quebec’s Minister of Municipal Affairs, Regions and Land Occupancy, Minister responsible for the Chaudière-Appalaches Region and Member of the National Assembly for Frontenac, in announcing that the Municipality of Lotbinière will receive $1,732,684 in joint government financial assistance under the Communities Component of the Building Canada Fund – Quebec for the construction of a multi-purpose centre.
Lotbinière’s project involves the construction of a two-storey multi-purpose centre to replace the current parish centre that has become antiquated and non-functional. The Municipality of Lotbinière decided to invest in a project that would better meet the recreational and cultural needs of the population. The new building will give residents access to a multi-purpose hall that can accommodate nearly 250 people and will also serve as a gymnasium. In addition, the centre will include several multi-purpose areas or rooms for meetings or community activities.
“The project to build a multi-purpose centre in the municipality of Lotbinière will serve the interests of local residents and businesses alike. In supporting this initiative, we are seeing to it 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,” said Member of Parliament Jacques Gourde.
“By participating in this project, 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 this one in Lotbinière, in an effort to improve Quebecers’ well-being, create jobs and promote a high-performance economy. In this way, we are leaving the municipality a legacy of quality infrastructure with which to face the challenges of the future,” added Minister Lessard.
Completion of this project will necessitate an overall eligible investment of $2,599,025. The governments of Quebec and Canada will each contribute $866,342 toward the work, for a total of $1,732,684 in combined government funding, while the Municipality of Lotbinière will assume the remaining third, or $866,341, of the project’s costs.
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 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.
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
