Tignish, Prince Edward Island, July 23, 2010 –The Honourable Gail Shea, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, along with the Honourable Neil LeClair, Minister of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Rural Development and MLA for Tignish - Palmer Road, on behalf of the Honourable Ron MacKinley, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal, joined together today to celebrate the grand re-opening of the Tignish Post Office.
Constructed in 1911, the Tignish Post Office is recognized as a ‘designated heritage’ site under the Provincial Heritage Places program. Restoration of the building focused primarily on brick and masonry work, repairs to the roof and overall aesthetic enhancements to the heritage property. Upgrades were also undertaken to make the building wheelchair accessible.
“I am pleased to be here to celebrate the grand re-opening of the Tignish Post office,” said Minister Shea. “This building is a part of our heritage and an important tourist attraction. Investing in its restoration shows our Government’s commitment to support strong, competitive and sustainable Canadian communities.”
“This beautifully restored building will not only be a centerpiece for Tignish, but it will also serve as a wonderful example of our government’s commitment to rural Prince Edward Island,” said Minister LeClair. “Through our Rural Action Plan we are working with communities all over the province to enhance infrastructure and improve the lives of rural Islanders”
“This newly restored heritage property is another proud moment in the history of Tignish Initiatives,” said Colin Arsenault, chairman of the board of Tignish Initiatives. “The contractors and individuals who participated in the restoration make us proud today. I am confident that this building will remain an important landmark in this community for another 100 years. I would also like to take an opportunity to thank both levels of government for their financial support in this project without which it would not have been possible.”
On September 21, 2009, the governments of Canada and Prince Edward Island announced a joint contribution of $270,000 to support this project. The Government of Canada provided $135,000, with a matching contribution from the Province of Prince Edward Island through Build PEI. The balance of funding for the $405,000 project was provided by the Tignish Initiatives Corporation, a non-profit organization for community development.
Federal support for this project is being provided through the Infrastructure Stimulus Fund, delivered by Infrastructure Canada. As part of Canada’s Economic Action Plan that the Government of Canada introduced in January 2009 to create jobs and boost the economy, this new $4-billion Infrastructure Stimulus Fund was introduced resulting in close to 4,000 infrastructure projects across the country. Overall, the Government of Canada has invested $16 million for 18 projects under the Infrastructure Stimulus Fund across Prince Edward Island.
Canada and Prince Edward Island are working together to create jobs and boost the economy, while making significant investments that help communities improve their infrastructure. Both governments have agreed to work together to ensure that these funds are delivered quickly and efficiently to municipalities in Prince Edward Island.
Additional information:
For more information, please visit www.creatingjobs.gc.ca.
To learn more about Canada’s Economic Action Plan, visit www.actionplan.gc.ca.
To learn more about capital projects on Prince Edward Island visit www.buildpei.ca
Contacts:
James Kusie
Director of Issues Management
Office of Canada’s Transport and Infrastructure Minister
613-991-0700
Infrastructure Canada
613-948-1148
Andrew Sprague
Communications Officer
PEI Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal
902-368-5112
