Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Quebec, March 26, 2010 - The Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of State for Canada Economic Development, today joined Germain Chevarie, Member of the National Assembly for Îles-de-la-Madeleine, acting on behalf of Laurent Lessard, Quebec Minister of Municipal Affairs, Regions and Land Occupancy, in announcing that La Salicorne inn will receive $824,666 in combined government financial assistance under the Communities Component of the Building Canada Fund - Quebec to renovate a number of its buildings.
The project involves refurbishing and expanding several of the buildings of La Salicorne, an inn located in Îles-de-la-Madeleine's Grande-Entrée sector. The work will include building a multipurpose hall in the inn's main pavilion, renovating the reception and service buildings and setting up a physical fitness centre in the building known as "Le Phare". These improvements will benefit the entire Îles-de-la-Madeleine community while enabling the inn to accommodate a new international business clientele.
"The project to renovate these La Salicorne buildings will serve the interests of the residents and businesses of the community of Grande-Entrée and the Îles-de-la-Madeleine as a whole. In so doing, we are seeing to it that the population enjoys the high quality of life for which our country is famous. Indeed, the Government of Canada is committed to equipping every community with modern facilities and equipment to ensure citizens' health and safety. The renewal of public infrastructure is part of a broad action plan that will enable us to thrive and prosper in a healthy environment," stated Minister of State Lebel.
"In supporting this project, the Government of Quebec is moving forward to ensure the province's municipalities have infrastructure that meets their unique realities while fostering sustainable development. By injecting new capital into the Quebec Infrastructure Plan, our government is looking to accelerate the execution of numerous infrastructure projects throughout the province, like this one in Îles-de-la-Madeleine's Grande-Entrée, in an effort to improve Quebecers' well-being, create jobs and promote a high-performance economy. In this way, we are leaving the municipality a legacy of quality infrastructure with which to face the challenges of the future," added MNA Germain Chevarie.
Completion of this project will necessitate an overall eligible investment of $1,237,000. The governments of Quebec and Canada will each contribute $412,333 toward the work, for a total of $824,666 in combined government funding, while La Salicorne (Club vacances Les Îles Inc.) will invest the remaining third, of $412,334, of the project's costs.
The Communities Component of the Building Canada Fund - Quebec is a cost-sharing initiative aimed at funding infrastructure projects in communities with fewer than 100,000 inhabitants. These communities are thus able to use this assistance to improve infrastructure that is in major need of revitalization, including water treatment plants, water supply systems and cultural and sports centres.
For provinces, like Quebec, that have committed all of their funding under the Communities Component, the Government of Canada's Economic Action Plan provides for up to $500 million in additional funding for projects that will be completed by March 31, 2011.
In Quebec, a joint federal-provincial contribution of $232 million will be used to fund 106 infrastructure projects.
The contribution from the Government of Canada has been awarded through Canada's Economic Action Plan. To learn more about this plan, visit www.actionplan.gc.ca.
For further information on the Government of Quebec's Quebec Infrastructure Plan, see www.infrastructures.gouv.qc.ca.
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Sources:
Simon Bachand
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Denis Lebel
Canada Economic Development
Tel.: 613-996-6236
Nancy Arbour
Political attaché
Office of the MNA for Îles-de-la-Madeleine
Tel.: 418-986-4140
