Montréal, Quebec, June 13, 2013 – The Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, joins the Honourable James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, in announcing the awarding of funding from the Government of Canada to Les FrancoFolies de Montréal.
“By lending its financial support to the 25th Les FrancoFolies de Montréal, the Government of Canada is helping reinforce Montréal’s position as a prime tourist destination. The region’s economy is sure to benefit from the spinoffs generated by the large number of foreign tourists this event attracts. I am delighted to be able to contribute to this festival’s success,” said Minister Lebel.
“For 25 years, Les FrancoFolies de Montréal has been brilliantly illustrating the richness and diversity of French-language music from all around the world,” noted Minister Moore. “Our government recognizes the role artistic and cultural events play in improving our quality of life and stimulating our economy. Congratulations to the organizers and musical artists who make this must-see Montréal festival a reality.”
On from June 13 to 22, this year’s Les FrancoFolies de Montréal will feature nearly 250 shows, including 150 free outdoor concerts. This 25th anniversary edition will have the entire city resonating as about 1,000 musical artists from a dozen countries take to the stage at 15 different venues, eight of them outdoors, to perform to some 850,000 spectators.
“Our government remains focused on four priorities, as outlined by the Prime Minister, that Canadians care most about: their families, the safety of our streets and communities, their pride in being a citizen of this country, and of course, their personal financial security,” Minister Lebel concluded.
The financial assistance from Canada Economic Development for the 2013 and 2014 editions of Les FrancoFolies de Montréal has been granted in the form of a $602,000 non-repayable contribution through the Quebec Economic Development Program. This funding supports the international promotion and commercialization of the festival.
Canadian Heritage provided $175,000 in financial assistance for this year’s edition of the event through the Canada Arts Presentation Fund. This program seeks to give Canadians increased access to the variety and richness of Canada’s culture through professional arts festivals, presentations of live professional performances, and other artistic experiences.
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