Baie-Comeau, Quebec, September 14, 2010 – The Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of State for Canada Economic Development, today announced that the City of Baie-Comeau has been granted $4,132,261 in non-repayable funding to help it consolidate its hospitality infrastructure and position itself advantageously among international cruise ports of call. This financial assistance has been awarded through the Support Initiative for International Cruise Development provided for under Canada Economic Development's Community Diversification program.
"The international cruise industry represents a major opportunity for economic diversification for the City of Baie-Comeau. That is why the Government of Canada is pleased to support structuring initiatives that, like this one, create leverage at the local level," explained the Minister of State.
The municipality intends to use the funds to build a maritime pavilion and pedestrian walkway for cruise passengers stopping in Baie-Comeau. Visitors will thus be able to make their way from the landing wharf along a passageway with sidewalks and a restricted area for traffic that will link up with the bicycle path running between the maritime pavilion and downtown Baie-Comeau. Moreover, look-out points will be added in order to give visitors an unparalleled view of the St. Lawrence River while satisfying the expectations of international cruise lines.
"Investments in this sector are sure to have a positive impact on the entire region's tourism industry as well as on the economic vitality of the city itself," Minister Lebel added.
Several measures have been put in place under Canada's Economic Action Plan to stimulate tourism growth and foster the long-term development of the Canadian economy.
For more on Canada's Economic Action Plan, visit www.actionplan.gc.ca.
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Sources:
Claudie Lamontagne
Communications
Canada Economic Development
Tel.: 418-722-3280 or 1-800-463-9073
E-mail: claudie.lamontagne@dec-ced.gc.ca
Benoît Fortin
Special Assistant, Communications
Office of the Honourable Denis Lebel
Canada Economic Development
Tel.: 819-997-3319
E-mail: benoit.fortin@dec-ced.gc.ca
