February 24, 2011
Penticton, British Columbia
The Honourable Stockwell Day, President of the Treasury Board, Minister for the Asia Pacific Gateway and Minister Responsible for British Columbia, on behalf of the Honourable Lynne Yelich, Minister of State for Western Economic Diversification, today announced additional Government of Canada support for Okanagan School of the Arts (OSA) to establish a new training and entrepreneurial development centre.
"The Government of Canada, through the Community Adjustment Fund, is providing a timely, targeted stimulus to western Canadian communities, reducing the impacts of the economic downturn," said Minister Day. "Supporting Okanagan School of the Arts' new training centre will create jobs and maintain employment, helping our communities overcome the challenges currently facing our region."
Federal funding of $300,000 is being provided through the Community Adjustment Fund (CAF) as part of Canada's Economic Action Plan. This funding will supplement an initial investment of $400,000 to create a training and entrepreneurial development centre to foster skills development through the arts. The new centre will offer programming and training for residents in the entire South Okanagan Region. This project will build on existing business and entrepreneurial training initiatives offered through OSA.
"Okanagan School of the Arts is very appreciative of the investment that the Government of Canada has made in this project." said Samarpan Faasse, Executive Director at the Okanagan School of the Arts, "We believe that the innovation and creativity that emerge from training and practice in the arts build resiliency in individuals and communities, which in turn leads to success and enjoyment of life, even during the most challenging times."
Okanagan School of the Arts is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing Penticton and surrounding area residents with alternative employment and arts-based training. OSA has been a leader in the Penticton arts community for 50 years.
A part of Canada's Economic Action Plan, the Community Adjustment Fund (CAF) is a two-year, $1 billion national program that is providing an economic stimulus by supporting projects that create jobs and maintain employment in rural communities.
The fund will provide $306 million over two years to support the most affected western Canadian communities, such as those that are heavily reliant on resource-based industries, for instance forestry, mining, agriculture and fisheries, and communities that depend on the manufacturing industry. Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD) is delivering the fund in the four western provinces.
Visit the Community Adjustment Fund (CAF) in the West or Canada's Economic Action Plan for more information.
For additional information, contact (media only):
Jaime Burke
Manager, Communications
Western Economic Diversification Canada
Telephone: 604-666-1318
Samarpan Faasse
Executive Director
Okanagan School of the Arts
Telephone: 250-493-0390
WD Toll-Free Number:1-888-338-WEST (9378)
Teletypewriter (TTY): 1-877-303-3388
WD Website: www.wd-deo.gc.ca.
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