Montréal , Quebec, September 12, 2013 – The Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of Infrastructure, Communities and Intergovernmental Affairs and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, and Sylvain Gaudreault, Quebec Minister of Municipal Affairs, Regions and Land Occupancy, Minister of Transport and Member of the National Assembly for Jonquière, took the opportunity of today’s launch of construction work on the Saint-Laurent multipurpose sports complex to underscore the $23,336,856 in joint government funding granted to the City of Montréal for the execution of this major project.
“The new Saint-Laurent multipurpose sports complex will benefit the residents of Montréal. This funding from the Government of Canada toward the project allows us to see to it that the population enjoys the high quality of life for which our country has become known,”
said Minister Lebel.
“I am proud of the substantial financial support our government is providing for the construction of this new sports infrastructure in Montréal. The Saint-Laurent multipurpose sports complex will contribute to the socioeconomic development of the region while promoting a sense of community belonging. Indeed, it will answer the growing need for sports facilities in the Saint-Laurent Borough and reinforce the area’s recreational and cultural vocation. Moreover, this complex will serve as a centre of sports excellence, offer a choice alternative to those who engage in physical activity and hopefully encourage the population in general to get active and adopt a healthy lifestyle,”
added Minister Gaudreault.
The large-scale sports complex, which will be built near Saint-Laurent High School’s Émile-Legault Pavilion, will include an indoor soccer field and a 25-metre swimming pool with a recreational basin for children and persons with reduced mobility. The centre will also have a 60-metre running track, a multipurpose hall, a fitness training room, and a gymnasium and palestra that can be converted into a triple gym for competitions.
Completion of the project will require an estimated eligible investment of $35,005,283. The governments of Quebec and Canada are each contributing $11,668,428 in funding, for a total joint government investment of $23,336,856, while the City of Montréal is also investing $11,668,427 in the project, in accordance with the requirements of the initiative.
The Large Urban Centres Component of the Building Canada Fund - Quebec is a cost-sharing initiative to finance infrastructure projects in Quebec municipalities of 100,000 inhabitants or more. These cities can use this financial assistance to revitalize such public infrastructure as water treatment plants, water supply systems and cultural and sports centres.
The Quebec Government’s contribution to this project is being made under the 2013-2023 Quebec Infrastructure Plan (PQI) unveiled in April. This 10-year plan, which provides for a total investment of $8.1 billion under the municipal infrastructure component, will have a major impact on the Quebec economy, creating or maintaining an average of nearly 60,000 jobs a year.
This plan signals a shift in the way of investing in and managing public infrastructure. This new method will enable the province to assess needs prospectively in accordance with Quebec’s priorities, properly measure associated costs and make informed choices.
To learn more about the Quebec Infrastructure Plan, visit www.infrastructures.gouv.qc.ca.
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