Montréal, Quebec, November 25, 2010 – Howie-Morenz Arena will soon undergo major renovations to bring the 31 year-old facility into compliance with current environmental standards, today jointly announced the Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of State for Canada Economic Development, and Gerry Sklavounos, Member of the National Assembly for Laurier-Dorion, acting on behalf of Line Beauchamp, Quebec Minister of Education, Recreation and Sports.
Requiring an overall investment of $5,121,044, this work will be carried out thanks to $2,560,522 in government funding, with the Government of Quebec contributing $1,560,522 and the Government of Canada $1,000,000. The City of Montréal and the Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension borough will invest the remainder of the financing needed for this project.
The project involves replacing the arena's refrigeration system, enlarging the machinery room, renovating the ice rink and improving the building's ventilation and lighting systems.
“The Government of Canada is pleased to support this project in that it will help improve the quality of life of the young residents of Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension while giving the borough's entire population access to safe and modern recreational facilities,” noted Minister of State Lebel.
“If we are to encourage Quebecers to get active, we have to provide them with appealing, safe and comfortable infrastructure. This announcement we are making today is entirely consistent with that line of thinking,” stated MNA Gerry Sklavounos.
The governments of Canada and Quebec signed an agreement to accelerate the execution of recreational infrastructure projects in Quebec between now and 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 funding announced today has been awarded through the Programme de soutien aux installations sportives et récréatives of the Government of Quebec’s Fonds pour le développement du sport et de l’activité physique and through the Government of Canada’s 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
Minister of Education, Recreation and Sports
Tel.: 418-644-0664
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
