Government of Canada provides financial support to host Foire gourmande de l'Abitibi-Témiscamingue et du Nord-Est ontarien

Ville-Marie, Quebec, August 13, 2010 – The Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of State for Canada Economic Development, today announced the awarding of $70,350 in non-repayable funding to the Foire gourmande de l’Abitibi‑Témiscamingue et du Nord-Est ontarien for the organization of its 2010 gastronomical fair, which opens today.

Held every year, the Foire gourmande highlights the agricultural products of some 40 agri-food exhibitors from these two regions, Abitibi-Témiscamingue and Northeastern Ontario, bordering the Témiscamingue River. In addition to being an ideal opportunity to forge new business contacts, the event draws more than 35,000 visitors in search of taste sensations.

“The Government of Canada is proud to lend its support to this event celebrating the work of our food artisans and, in so doing, to further the development of the agri-food processing and tourism sectors. This fair, an exceptional showcase for Abitibi-Témiscamingue and its agri-processors, is a golden opportunity to create strategic alliances and promote local products to consumers, while contributing to the region’s reputation as a premier tourist destination,” said the Minister of State.

Awarded through the Community Economic Diversification Initiative, this contribution from Canada Economic Development has supported the organization in its efforts to attract more tourists from outside Quebec.

Tourism and agri-food processing, along with mining and forest products processing, are considered promising growth sectors for Abitibi-Témiscamingue. It is therefore in these priority areas that Canada Economic Development has decided to focus its development efforts in the region.

- 30 -

Sources:

François Bélisle
Communications
Canada Economic Development
Tel.: 819-825-3976
E-mail: francois.belisle@dec-ced.gc.ca

Maxime Laliberté
Special Assistant
Office of the Honourable Denis Lebel
Canada Economic Development
Tel.: 819-997-3319
E-mail: maxime.laliberte@dec-ced.gc.ca