ARCHIVED - Canada-Quebec investment of $10,734,522 for the development of a tourist port village in Saguenay

Building Canada Fund – Quebec, Large Urban Centres Component

Saguenay, Quebec, October 2, 2009 – Acting on behalf of the Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of State for Canada Economic Development, the Honourable Jean-Pierre Blackburn, Minister of National Revenue, Minister of State (Agriculture and Agri-Food) and Member of Parliament for Jonquière–Alma, today joined Serge Simard, Quebec Minister for Natural Resources and Wildlife, Minister responsible for the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean region and Member of the National Assembly for Dubuc, acting on behalf of Laurent Lessard, Minister of Municipal Affairs, Regions and Land Occupancy, in announcing that the City of Saguenay will receive $10,734,522 in joint government financial assistance under the Large Urban Centres Component of the Building Canada Fund – Quebec for infrastructure work to develop a tourist port village.

The aim of the project is to develop a tourist port village in the Bagotville district of the city’s La Baie borough offering a coherent and standardized set of services and facilities for residents, workers and tourists.

The planned work mainly involves requalifying certain roadways with paving-stones, building terraces and a village square, installing street furniture, carrying out landscaping work and developing observation sites on the banks of Baie des Ha! Ha!

“The development of a port village will further strengthen the positive image the region already enjoys as a tourist destination. Tourism is an important vector of social and economic development. Indeed, the sector has helped the communities of Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean withstand the persistent economic shocks that have hit the region in recent years. By investing in this project, the Government of Canada is also investing in the region’s future,” stated Minister Blackburn.

“In supporting this major project, the Government of Quebec is moving forward to ensure the province’s municipalities have infrastructure that suits their unique realities while fostering sustainable development, a key element of any modern, wealth-building economy. By injecting new capital into the Quebec Infrastructure Plan, our government is looking to accelerate the execution of numerous infrastructure projects throughout the province in an effort to improve the well-being of Quebecers, create jobs and promote a high-performance economy. Thanks to Premier Jean Charest’s commitment to this project, our region as a whole stands to reap the rewards. This tourist port village is sure to strengthen the drawing power of the City of Saguenay, thereby bolstering its reputation both here and abroad,” added Minister Simard.

Completion of this project will necessitate an overall eligible investment of $16,101,784. The governments of Quebec and Canada will each invest $5,367,261, or $10,734,522 in combined government funding, under sub-component 2.2 of the Building Canada Fund – Quebec, while the City of Saguenay will assume $5,367,262 of the project’s costs.

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 communities can use this financial assistance to revitalize such public infrastructure as water treatment plants, water supply systems and cultural and sports centres.

An unprecedented funding commitment on the part of the Government of Canada, the Building Canada Fund – Quebec provides stable and predictable funding to support infrastructure projects. In Quebec, nearly $4 billion will be allocated to that end.

The contribution announced today has been awarded through Canada’s Economic Action Plan. For more on this plan, visit www.actionplan.gc.ca.

For further details on the Building Canada Fund – Quebec or the process for submitting a funding application, see www.buildingcanada.gc.ca and www.mamrot.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

Suzanne Thebarge
Communications
Canada Economic Development
Tel.: 514-496-6714

Sylvain Bourassa
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Municipal Affairs, Regions and Land Occupancy
Tel.: 418-691-2050

Communications Branch
Department of Municipal Affairs, Regions and Land Occupancy
Tel.: 514-873-6910