Today, Irek Kusmierczyk, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion and Member of Parliament for Windsor─Tecumseh, on behalf of the Honourable Catherine McKenna, Federal Minister of Infrastructure and Communities; Rick Nicholls, Member of Provincial Parliament for Chatham-Kent-Leamington, on behalf of the Honourable Laurie Scott, Ontario’s Minister of Infrastructure; and Amanda Gellman, President of the Windsor Centre for Film, Digital Media and the Creative Arts, announced funding for a new Media Arts Centre in Windsor.

“Investing in community, culture, and recreational infrastructure is essential to creating inclusive communities where Canadians want to live, work and raise their families. The new Centre for Film, Digital Media and the Creative Arts announced today will contribute to the City of Windsor’s culture and diversity while offering more education and recreation opportunities for residents. Canada’s infrastructure plan invests in thousands of projects, creates jobs across the country, and builds cleaner, more inclusive communities.”

Irek Kusmierczyk, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion and Member of Parliament for Windsor−Tecumseh, on behalf of the Honourable Catherine McKenna, Federal Minister of Infrastructure and Communities

“As much as science advances technology, art advances the creative mind. Many have dedicated a lot of time and money for the purpose of satisfying our different senses. From savoury food for our unique tastes, different genres of music for our auditory pleasure, and of course breathtaking art for our visual preferences, we need these experiences to more greatly appreciate life to the max. This funding opportunity will allow Windsorites and those from surrounding areas to experience local artists’ creativity, enabling the community to enjoy and push the limits of art."

Rick Nicholls, Member of Provincial Parliament for Chatham-Kent-Leamington, on behalf of the Honourable Laurie Scott, Ontario’s Minister of Infrastructure

“The Media Arts Community Centre has been in the planning stages for several years. It started with Film Camp for Kids & Youth, which is an educational program for children and teens. Our premise was that, since future crews would be needed, building an industry had to start with the very young. The Camp was also a job training program for young adults, offering about 90 FTE summer jobs over the past eight years. Most did not want to go to larger urban areas to find employment, so we made promises about doing our part to stop the drain of local talent from southwestern Ontario. Thanks to the generosity of our federal and provincial governments - today, that promise has been kept. The Media Arts Community Centre will be for persons of all ages, stages and abilities, will offer opportunities for film and art workshops, continued education, networking, co-op, job training, content creation, and music and film production. We also look for forward to working the philanthropic community as we launch our capital fundraising effort: WE GROW TALENT, a building, equipment and bursary campaign.”  

Amanda Gellman, President of the Windsor Centre for Film, Digital Media and the Creative Arts

• Through the Investing in Canada plan, the federal government is investing more than $180 billion over 12 years in public transit projects, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, trade and transportation routes, and Canada’s rural and northern communities.

• Across Ontario, the Government of Canada has invested more than $14 billion in over 3,400 infrastructure projects.

• Across the province, and over the next ten years, Ontario is investing approximately $320 million, with Canada investing approximately $407 million, under the Community, Culture and Recreation Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program. This stream supports the construction of new facilities and upgrades to existing facilities that improve community infrastructure (community centres, and libraries), and support upgrades to recreational venues (arenas, and both indoor and outdoor recreational spaces) and cultural spaces (theatres, museums). 

• Ontario is investing $10.2 billion under the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program to improve public transit; community, culture and recreation; green, and rural and northern community and other priority infrastructure.

Associated links

• Federal infrastructure investments in Ontario
• Investing in Canada Plan Project Map
• Ontario Builds Project Map

Michelle Johnston
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities
613-298-7386
michelle.johnston@canada.ca

Christine Bujold
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Laurie Scott, Ontario’s Minister of Infrastructure
416-454-1782
christine.bujold@ontario.ca

Sofia Sousa-Dias
Communications Branch
Ontario Ministry of Infrastructure
437-991-3391
sofia.sousa-dias@ontario.ca

Amanda Gellman
President
Windsor Centre for Film, Digital Media and the Creative Arts
519-819-8964
amanda@mananstrategy.com

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Infrastructure Canada
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