Port Colborne, Ontario, June 28, 2012 – Government representatives joined staff of the Port Colborne Association for Resource Extension (Port Cares) and community members today to celebrate the official grand opening of the Port Cares Reach Out Centre.
A recent addition to the facility has increased the size of the Reach Out Centre's dining room, expanded the kitchen to accommodate additional food storage and created space for client counseling. The expanded space also enables Port Cares to host a Food Bank that will serve the Port Colborne/Wainfleet area. With improved energy efficiency and safety features, this accessible building is now better positioned to meet the community's present and future needs.
"With the expansion of its building, Port Cares will be able to better meet the needs of the community and strengthen its partnerships with other organizations,"
said the Honourable Rob Nicholson, P.C., Q.C., Member of Parliament for Niagara Falls, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada. "Our Government is proud to have invested in this project that created local jobs and will allow Port Cares to continue to do important work in the community and help those in need."
"The expansion of Port Cares Reach Out Centre will provide valuable services and will enhance the quality of life in Port Colborne for years to come,"
said the Honourable Jim Bradley, Member of Provincial Parliament for St. Catharines and Minister of the Environment. "Our government is investing in infrastructure to strengthen communities, stimulate the economy, and create jobs and opportunities for families in Niagara and across Ontario."
"Port Cares will be better able to provide skills training and meet the food security needs of Port Colborne/Wainfleet area with these new facilities,"
said Lynda Reinhart, Executive Director of Port Cares. "The expansion has made it possible to have community volunteers assist staff in the delivery of additional services to the community. I would like to thank the community for their support in the Capital Campaign that has made this possible."
The governments of Canada and Ontario each contributed $335,000 through the Infrastructure Stimulus Fund. Port Cares contributed the balance of the total project cost of $1,005,000.
As part of Canada's Economic Action Plan, the Infrastructure Stimulus Fund has supported more than 4,100 projects across the country, including over 2,000 key infrastructure projects in Ontario.
Investing in infrastructure is a key part of the Government of Canada's plan to create jobs, generate economic growth and ensure long-term prosperity. Over the course of the summer, the Government of Canada will be engaging provinces, territories and stakeholders in a series of roundtables to develop a new long-term infrastructure plan. This plan will focus on investments that support job creation and economic growth, while building strong, prosperous communities across the country. In addition, the Government of Canada will hold a roundtable with national stakeholders and representatives of the private sector at the end of the summer. Working together to develop this plan will provide new opportunities for all orders of government and the private sector to build partnerships to improve public infrastructure in Canada.
This project also supports Building Together, the Government of Ontario's long-term infrastructure plan to repair, rebuild and renew the province's roads and highways, bridges, public transit, schools and postsecondary institutions, hospitals and courthouses. Since 2003, Ontario has invested approximately $75 billion in infrastructure. Building modern, efficient infrastructure has created or preserved close to 100,000 jobs each year, on average, making Ontario's economy more productive and improving quality of life, now and in the future.
For additional information about investments in infrastructure, visit www.infrastructure.gc.ca.
For further information about Canada's Economic Action Plan, visit www.actionplan.gc.ca.
For more information on how Ontario is revitalizing its infrastructure, visit www.ontario.ca/infrastructure.
Contacts:
Geneviève Sicard
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities
613-991-0700
Ontario Ministry of Infrastructure
416-325-0781
Lynda Reinhart, Executive Director, Port Cares
905-834-3629 Extension 248
Infrastructure Canada
613-960-9251 or
Toll-free 1-877-250-7154
