Québec, Quebec, October 2, 2010 – Sam Hamad, Quebec Minister of Transport and Minister responsible for the National Capital Region, and Dr. Yves Bolduc, Minister of Health and Social Services and Member of the Quebec National Assembly for Jean-Talon, acting on behalf of Line Beauchamp, Minister of Education, Recreation and Sports, today inaugurated the new artificial turf playing field at Collège François-Xavier-Garneau. The Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of State for Canada Economic Development, who was unable to take part in the announcement, welcomed the project's progress.
This project was carried out thanks to a total investment of nearly $4,443,545. The Government of Quebec contributed $1,160,000 toward the project, the Government of Canada, $1,000,000 and the Fondation du Collège François-Xavier-Garneau, $1.4 million. The College assumed the remainder of the project's costs.
In the view of the Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of State for Canada Economic Development, "this synthetic field at François-Xavier-Garneau College is sure to enhance the quality of life of the young people who will be using this new infrastructure for the practice of sports."
Thanks to this brand new and larger artificial turf, the College's soccer, football and rugby teams will now have a state-of-the-art field for training purposes and hosting home games.
"Our government has made sports infrastructure a priority in the National Capital region. That is why I am pleased to inaugurate this new soccer-football field that meets a need for these increasingly popular sports," said Minister Sam Hamad.
"The installation of this modern, safe and right-size field will allow the Élans athletes of Collège François-Xavier-Garneau to train and compete on their home turf, while strengthening their sense of belonging to their educational institution and promoting a physically active lifestyle," said Dr. Bolduc.
The new field is equipped with a lighting system and bleachers that can accommodate up to 2,000 people. Compared to natural turfs, lighted artificial turf fields are safer and can triple hours of usage.
The governments of Canada and Quebec signed an agreement to accelerate the execution of recreational infrastructure projects in Quebec by March 31, 2011. To that end, the Government of Canada will invest $76 million and the Government of Quebec at least that amount in recreational infrastructure projects carried out in cost-sharing partnership with municipal administrations or local organizations. These investments are thus expected to generate greater financial leverage, as is the case with the other infrastructure programs.
The investment announced today has been awarded through the Programme de soutien aux installations sportives et récréatives of the Fonds pour le développement du sport et de l'activité physique and through the Recreational Infrastructure Canada Program.
About the Recreational Infrastructure Canada Program
Established under the economic action plan adopted by the federal government in January 2009, the Recreational Infrastructure Canada Program is aimed at stimulating immediate economic recovery and reducing the short-term impacts of the global recession. Government investment in this area will help create new jobs and improve the population's health and quality of life. For more on this plan, see www.actionplan.gc.ca.
About the Fonds pour le développement du sport et de l'activité physique
The Fonds pour le développement du sport et de l'activité physique was created by the Government of Quebec to ensure all of the province's regions access to new and improved sports facilities in order to promote healthier lifestyles among their populations. For further details on this initiative, visit http://www.mels.gouv.qc.ca.
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Sources:
Dave Leclerc
Press Secretary to the Minister of Education, Recreation and Sports
418-644-0664
Benoit Fortin
Special Assistant, Communications
Office of the Honourable Denis Lebel
Canada Economic Development
819-997-3319
Karine Rivard
Press Secretary to the Minister of Health and Social Services
418-266-7171
Alexandre Boucher
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Transport and Minister responsible for the National Capital Region
418-643-6980
