Saint-Lambert, Quebec, September 12, 2011 – The Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, and Nicole Ménard, Member of the Quebec National Assembly for Laporte, Minister of Tourism and Minister responsible for the Montérégie Region, acting on behalf of Laurent Lessard, Minister of Municipal Affairs, Regions and Land Occupancy, took the opportunity of today’s official inauguration of the Saint-Lambert Recreation Centre to recall the $6,123,208 in joint government funding awarded to the City for this project through the Communities Component of the Building Canada Fund – Quebec.
“It is important to the Government of Canada that citizens have access to modern facilities that add to their quality of life. In addition, this project has helped stimulate economic growth,” explained Minister Lebel.
“In supporting the construction of the new Saint-Lambert Recreation Centre, the Government of Quebec is helping provide an important gathering place for citizens to practice their favourite physical activities and take part in various social and cultural events. The government is moving forward to ensure the province’s municipalities have infrastructure that meets their unique realities while fostering sustainable development. In this way, we are leaving the municipality a legacy of quality infrastructure with which to face the challenges of the future,” added Minister Ménard.
Saint-Lambert’s project involved the construction of a new recreation centre in Lespérance Park. Covering a developable area of about 3,200 square metres, the new two-storey building comprises a central hall that links the gym areas with the community areas and dressing-rooms on the ground floor. The Centre also houses offices, a music room and a public space overlooking the pool and boasts a gymnasium with three badminton courts, a volleyball court and spaces reserved for cultural and community events. Saint-Lambert’s 22,000 or so residents will now be able to benefit from these new recreational facilities.
Completion of this project necessitated an overall eligible investment of $9,184,814. The governments of Quebec and Canada each contributed $3,061,604 toward the work, for a total of $6,123,208 in combined government funding, while the City of Saint-Lambertinvested the remaining $3,061,606 of the project’s costs.
The Communities Componentof the Building Canada Fund – Quebec is a cost-sharing initiative aimed at funding infrastructure projects in communities with fewer than 100,000 inhabitants. These communities are thus able to use this assistance to improve infrastructure that is in major need of revitalization, including water treatment plants, water supply systems and cultural and sports centres.
The contribution from the Government of Canada has been awarded through Canada’s Economic Action Plan. To learn more about this plan, visit www.actionplan.gc.ca.
For further information on the Government of Quebec’s Quebec Infrastructure Plan, see www.infrastructures.gouv.qc.ca.
- 30 -
Sources:
Pierre Floréa
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Denis Lebel
Canada Economic Development
Tel.: 514-496-1282
André Poirier
Administrative Officer, Laporte riding office
Office of Nicole Ménard
MNA for Laporte
Minister of Tourism
Minister responsible for the Montérégie Region
Tel.: 450-672-1885
