The Manitoba Theatre for Young People (MTYP) will receive accessibility and environmental upgrades after an investment of more than $1.3 million from the federal government.

“This theatre is a vital space for Winnipeggers. In the heart of the Forks, this arts and cultural institution will now be more accessible and make use of innovative, green infrastructure solutions. These improvements to the Manitoba Theatre for Young People will provide children and guests of all ages with a modern facility where they can gather and express themselves while enjoying one of Manitoba’s enriching cultural experiences.”

The Honourable Dan Vandal, Minister of Northern Affairs, PrairiesCan and CanNor, on behalf of the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities

“These projects will improve and modernize MTYP’s facility that has served as our home since 1999. This incredible building annually welcomes tens of thousands of children and youth, and the adults who care for them, to experience and participate in theatre and the arts. Thousands more enjoy these spaces thanks to the events and festivals held here by others in our community. Given the facility’s position as a cultural hub, it is important that we reinvest in its infrastructure so it can serve us well for decades to come. We are grateful to the Government of Canada for contributing to the initiatives within our capital improvement plans that will enhance greening outcomes and create even more accessibility for the staff, artists, volunteers, and of course, the children, families and educators we serve.”

Suzanne Munroe, MTYP Board Chair

• The federal government is investing $1,349,740 in this improvement project through the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings program (GICB) and the Manitoba Theatre for Young People is responsible for securing the remaining funding for this project.

• The GICB program aims to improve the places Canadians work, learn, play, live and come together by cutting pollution, reducing costs, and supporting thousands of good jobs. Through green and other upgrades to existing public community buildings and new builds in underserved communities, the GICB program 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. It is supporting the Plan’s first pillar through the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, the increase of energy efficiency, and helping develop higher resilience to climate change. 

• The program is providing $1.5 billion over five years towards green and accessible retrofits, repairs or upgrades.

• For more information on the GICB program, please visit the Infrastructure Canada website.

• As the world moves towards a net-zero economy, people living and working on the Prairies are taking action and are leading to take advantage of growing economic development opportunities.

• On December 18, 2023, the federal government launched the Framework to Build a Green Prairie Economy, which highlights the need for a collaborative, region-specific approach to sustainability, focusing on strengthening the coordination of federal programs, and initiatives with significant investments. This Framework is a first step in a journey of multi-stakeholder collaboration. PrairiesCan has dedicated $100 million over three years to support projects aligned with priority areas identified by Prairie stakeholders to build a stronger, more sustainable, and inclusive economy for the Prairie provinces and Canada.

• Building a green Prairie economy is about working together on common interests, to make a sustainable and prosperous net-zero economy achievable.

• Infrastructure Canada is supporting the Framework to Build a Green Prairie Economy to encourage greater collaboration on investment opportunities, leverage additional funding, and attract new investments across the Prairies that better meet their needs.

Associated links

• Green and Inclusive Community Buildings
• Strengthened Climate Plan
• Federal infrastructure investments in Manitoba
• Building a Green Prairie Economy Act
• Building a Green Prairie Economy

For more information (media only), please contact:

Micaal Ahmed
Communications Manager
Office of the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities
343-598-3920
micaal.ahmed@infc.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: Infrastructure Canada

Riva Billows
Public Relations Coordinator
Manitoba Theatre for Young People
204-947-0394 (ext. 224)
communications@mtyp.ca