Saint-Louis-de-Blandford, Quebec, October 28, 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, today joined Claude Bachand, Member of the Quebec National Assembly for Arthabaska and Chair of the Committee on Public Finance, acting on behalf of Laurent Lessard, Minister of Municipal Affairs, Regions and Land Occupancy and Minister responsible for the Centre-du-Québec region, in hailing the official opening of the Saint-Louis-de-Blandford multipurpose recreation centre, a project toward which the municipality received $515,968 in joint government funding under the Communities Component of the Building Canada Fund – Quebec.
Minister Lebel, who was unable to be present for the official ceremony, saluted the completion of this important project. "This new community centre will benefit the entire population of Saint-Louis-de-Blandford. In helping fund this initiative, we are ensuring that these citizens enjoy the high quality of life for which our country is known," he commented, reiterating the Government of Canada's objective to equip every community across the country with modern infrastructure essential to the population's health and well-being.
"I am very glad to be here today for this inauguration of Saint-Louis-de-Blandford's new multipurpose recreation centre, an infrastructure that is sure to meet citizens' expectations. Indeed, the local and regional population alike will benefit from this modern facility, which will serve as important meeting place, training ground and venue for a variety of activities, like the annual eventput on by the Centre d’interprétation de la canneberge. I am well aware that investing in our infrastructure has to be a priority if we are to address the needs that are already considerable and growing in step with our economic development. Our government is seeing to it that the generations of today and tomorrow are able to take full advantage of this collective heritage," said Mr. Bachand.
The Saint-Louis-de-Blandford project involved the construction of a new 16,525 square-foot community centre housing a winter skating rink and two community halls for year-round use. Located in the Arthabaska Regional County Municipality (RCM) in proximity to Trois-Rivières, Victoriaville and Drummondville, the municipality, which calls itself the cranberry capital of Quebec, welcomes more than 10,000 visitors a year during the months of September and October alone.
Completion of this project necessitated an overall eligible investment of $773,951, toward which the governments of Quebec and Canada each contributed $257,984, for a total of $515,968 in joint government funding, with the Municipality of Saint-Louis-de-Blandford investing the remaining $257,983.
The Communities Component of 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 build or modernize infrastructure in major need of revitalization, including water treatment plants, water supply systems and cultural and sports centres.
The contribution from the Government of Canada was 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.
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Sources :
Pierre Floréa
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Denis Lebel
Canada Economic Development
Tel.: 514-496-1282
Email: pierre.florea@tc.gc.ca
Julie Boivin
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Municipal Affairs, Regions and Land Occupancy
Tel.: 418-691-2050
Chantale Marchand
Political Attaché responsible for Communications
Office of the MNA for Arthabaska
Tel.: 819-758-7440
Caroline St-Pierre
Communications Branch
Department of Municipal Affairs, Regions and Land Occupancy
Tel.: 418-691-2015
