Saint-Roch-de-l’Achigan, Quebec, May 6, 2012 – 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 Michelle Courchesne, Quebec Minister for Government Administration, Chair of the Conseil du trésor and Minister responsible for the Lanaudière region, acting on behalf of Laurent Lessard, Minister of Municipal Affairs, Regions and Land Occupancy, in hailing today’s grand opening of the new cultural and social complex in Saint-Roch-de-l’Achigan, a project toward which the municipality received $1,361,110 in joint government funding under the Communities Componentof the Building Canada Fund – Quebec.
“This project to restore the historic Saint-Roch-de-l’Achigan convent to its former glory by converting it into a cultural and social centre will benefit the municipality’s residents and businesses alike. Through this support, the Government of Canada is delivering on its commitment to ensure that the population enjoys the high quality of life for which our country is famous,” said Minister Lebel.
“I take this opportunity to applaud all the efforts the municipal authorities and residents have made to bring this structuring project to fruition. Indeed, the former convent’s strong architectural potential, coupled with its strategic location, allowed for the realization of the community’s vision for Saint-Roch-de-l’Achigan. I hope that this new cultural and social complex will serve as a central hub where the community comes together for cultural activities that will benefit the entire population of the Regional County Municipality of Montcalm and the Lanaudière region,” said Minister Courchesne.
The municipality’s project involved converting the old convent on Principale Street into a cultural and social complex. The more than 15,000 square foot building includes a high-end restaurant, a theatre, an art gallery, artists’ studios and art workshops as well as administrative offices for use by local cultural and social organizations. The convent, a four-storey structure dating back to 1881 and designated a historic monument, was recently bought by the municipality. Its restoration will also ensure the sustainability of this important building in the history of the Municipality of Saint-Roch-de-l’Achigan.
The completion of this project necessitated an overall eligible investment of $2,041,666, toward which the governments of Quebec and Canada each contributed $680,555, for a total of $$1,361,110 in joint government funding, with the Municipality of Saint-Roch-de-l’Achigan investing the remaining $680,556.
The Communities Componentof the Building Canada Fund – Canada-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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Geneviève Sicard
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Denis Lebel
Canada Economic Development
Tel.: 514-496-1282
Julie Boivin
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Municipal Affairs, Regions and Land Occupancy
Tel.: 418-691-2050
Jonathan Hamel
Regional Press Secretary
Office of the Minister responsible for the Lanaudière region
Tel.: 450-689-5516
Caroline St-Pierre
Communications Branch
Department of Municipal Affairs, Regions and Land Occupancy
Tel.: 418-691-2015
