Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, August 27, 2011 – Acting on behalf of Line Beauchamp, Quebec Minister of Education, Recreation and Sports, Geoffrey Kelley, Minister responsible for Aboriginal Affairs and Member of the National Assembly for Jacques-Cartier, took the opportunity of the John Abbott College Islanders’ first football game of the 2011-2012 season to officially inaugurate the College’s new, illuminated artificial turf soccer-football field. The Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, who was unable to attend the inauguration, hailed the completion of this major infrastructure project.
“The Government of Canada continues to sustain the country’s economic recovery, create jobs and contribute to liveable communities. The students who attend John Abbott College have reason to celebrate: they have a new soccer-football field tailored to their needs, modern facilities and more days and hours in which to practice their sports,” commented Minister Lebel.
“The students of the College and residents of Jacques-Cartier county have been eagerly awaiting this new field. I would like to congratulate all the stakeholders who helped make the project a reality. Together, we have contributed to improving the services offered in our region while encouraging a healthy active lifestyle for our youth,” said Mr. Kelley.
The construction of the new field, the overall cost of which was nearly $3 million, was carried out thanks to close to $1.5 million in combined government funding contributed in equal parts by the governments of Quebec and Canada, with John Abbott College assuming the remainder of the costs.
The project involved replacing one of the College’s two natural grass sports fields with a synthetic surface, installing bleachers and equipping the new field with a lighting system. In addition to ensuring greater safety, artificial fields require less maintenance and have a longer life span. In addition to soccer and football, the field will also serve for the practice of flag football, rugby and lacrosse.
The government funding that made this project possible was 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 physiqueRecreational Infrastructure Canada Program. and the
The two-year Canada-Quebec Recreational Infrastructure Canada Program Agreement signed by the two levels of government has helped accelerate the execution of various recreational infrastructure projects in Quebec. The agreement called for the Government of Canada to 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 thus create greater financial leverage, as is the case with the other infrastructure programs.
The economic action plan adopted by the federal government in January 2009 and under which the Recreational Infrastructure Canada program falls has helped offset the impacts of the global economic downturn. Government investments in recreational infrastructure have contributed to the creation of jobs and improved quality of life for Canadians. For more on this plan, visit www.actionplan.gc.ca.
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 fund, see www.mels.gouv.qc.ca.
- 30 -
Sources:
Dave Leclerc
Press Secretary
Minister of Education, Recreation and Sports
Tel.: 418-644-0664
Marie-Josée Paquette
Press Secretary
Minister responsible for Aboriginal Affairs
Tel.: 418-646-9131
Benoît Fortin
Special Assistant, Communications
Office of the Honourable Denis Lebel
Canada Economic Development
Tel.: 819-923-9209
E-mail: benoit.fortin@tc.gc.ca
