Today, Terry Sheehan, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Labour and Member of Parliament for Sault. Ste. Marie, and Dean Sayers, Chief of Batchewana First Nation, announced a federal investment of $2,994,244 to modernize the Rankin Arena in Batchewana First Nation.

“Recreation facilities are at the heart of healthy, thriving communities. Funding provided by the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings program will make Rankin Arena a more energy efficient and inclusive community space. We will continue to work with our Indigenous, provincial, territorial and municipal partners to invest in local community infrastructure, promote climate action, and build more resilient and inclusive communities across Canada.”

Terry Sheehan, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Labour and Member of Parliament for Sault Ste. Marie, on behalf of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities

“Our First Nation is thrilled to receive a portion of funds from the Federal Government to contribute to renovating our arena. The Rankin arena has serviced not only our First Nation’s members but the broader hockey community along the North shore for over 5 decades. The arena has a legacy of hosting games, tournaments, and meetings that bring people together in a healthy, impactful way and we are grateful for the investment that will allow this tradition to continue.”

Chief Dean Sayers, Batchewana First Nation

• The Government of Canada is contributing $2,994,244 million to this project through the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings program (GICB). 

• The GICB program aims to improve the places Canadians work, learn, play, live and gather by cutting pollution, making life more affordable, and supporting thousands of good jobs. Through green and other upgrades to existing public community buildings and new builds in underserved communities, the GICB helps ensure community facilities are inclusive, accessible, and have a long service life, while also helping Canada move towards its net-zero objectives by 2050.

• At least 10 percent of funding is allocated to projects serving First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities, including Indigenous populations in urban centres.

• The GICB program was created in support of Canada’s Strengthened Climate Plan: a Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy, supporting the Plan’s first pillar through the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, the increase of energy efficiency, and higher resilience to climate change. It is providing $1.5 billion over five years towards green and accessible retrofits, repairs or upgrades.

Associated links

• Green and Inclusive Community Buildings Program
• Strengthened Climate Plan
• Federal infrastructure investments in Ontario

For more information (media only), please contact:

Jean-Sébastien Comeau
Press Secretary and Senior Communications Advisor
Office of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc
Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities
343-574-8116
Jean-Sebastien.Comeau@iga-aig.gc.ca  

Media Relations
Infrastructure Canada
613-960-9251
Toll free: 1-877-250-7154
Email: media-medias@infc.gc.ca
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Web: http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca

Alexandra Syrette
Communications Manager
Batchewana First Nation
705-255-8407
alex@batchewana.ca