Saint-Bruno, Quebec, May 21, 2010 – The Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of State for Canada Economic Development and Member of Parliament Roberval-Lac-Saint-Jean, today joined the Honourable Jean-Pierre Blackburn, Minister of Veterans Affairs, Minister of State (Agriculture) and Member of Parliament for Jonquière-Alma, in announcing the awarding of $726,500 in repayable funding to Nutrinor's dairy products and spring water division. Granted through the Business and Regional Growth program, this financial assistance will enable the agri-food cooperative to enhance its manufacturing processes, productivity and competitiveness at the Alma dairy plant and commercialize its value-added dairy products both within and outside Quebec.
The division's two-year project involves optimizing the dairy's energy efficiency in order to reduce its consumption of water and cleaning products as well as acquiring new up-to-date, higher-performance equipment. These improvements are expected to result in the creation of one permanent job and the equivalent of five other positions over a one-year period, while ensuring the maintenance of nearly 130 existing jobs.
“The dynamism of Nutrinor, a cooperative that advocates the values of fairness, solidarity and sharing, is sure to create positive benefits for the entire community. Canada Economic Development has decided to lend its financial support to Nutrinor dairy products and spring water because this division is one of the key links in the cooperative's chain, processing some 23 million litres of milk a year and transporting another 60 million litres for Quebec's federation of milk producers,” noted Minister of State Lebel.
“The agri-food sector is a driving force of the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean economy, and milk production is the leading activity within that sector. The Government of Canada believes in the importance of supporting this project of the regional flagship Nutrinor, which employs nearly 400 people, in that it will help the cooperative become more competitive and better hold its own against other Quebec, Canadian and foreign rivals on the market. It is therefore a project with great potential for the economic vitality of the region,” added Minister Blackburn.
– 30 –
Sources:
Éléonore Côté
Communications
Canada Economic Development
Tel.: 418-668-5928
E-mail: eleonore.cote@dec-ced.gc.ca
Ève Cardinal
Special Assistant, Communications
Office of the Honourable Denis Lebel
Canada Economic Development
Tel.: 819-997-3319
E-mail: eve.cardinal@dec-ced.gc.ca
