Government investment of more than $16,000 in the Municipality of Saint-Zotique

Canada-Quebec Recreational Infrastructure Canada Program Agreement

Saint-Zotique, Quebec, September 3, 2010 – A climbing wall has been built at Saint-Zotique school in the electoral riding of Soulanges, today jointly announced the Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of State for Canada Economic Development, and Lucie Charlebois, Member of the Quebec National Assembly for Soulanges and Deputy Government Whip, acting on behalf of Line Beauchamp, Quebec Minister of Education, Recreation and Sports.

Necessitating an overall investment of $36,635, this project was carried out thanks to $16,712 in combined government financial assistance contributed in equal part by the governments of Quebec and Canada, with the Commission scolaire des Trois-Lacs assuming the remainder of the costs.

The project involved the construction of a climbing wall at Saint-Zotique school. The new infrastructure will serve the students of Saint-Zotique and Riveraine schools as well as the children enrolled in day-camp activities and will be made accessible to all of Saint-Zotique’s 5,565 residents. The school also intends to start a competition climbing club that will be open to the 25,000 young people aged 9 to 16 years residing in the Regional County Municipality (RCM) of Vaudreuil-Soulanges.

“The Government of Canada is proud to lend its financial support to projects that, like this one, help improve the quality of life in our communities. The decision to erect a climbing wall in Saint-Zotique school is the fruit of collaboration among various local stakeholders. Our assistance is granted through the Recreational Infrastructure Canada Program, an initiative through which we have committed to investing $500 million over two years in the rehabilitation of our sports and recreational facilities across the country,” explained Minister Lebel.

“The construction of a climbing wall in the gymnasium of Saint-Zotique school will fully benefit the citizens of this community. The main appeal of this project rests on the accessibility of the site. Indeed, this indoor infrastructure will be available for use year-round and agreements will be signed between the school board and the municipality to ensure that all residents are able to enjoy access,” added Lucie Charlebois.

The governments of Canada and Quebec signed an agreement to accelerate the execution of recreational infrastructure projects in Quebec by March 31, 2011. To that end, the Government of Canada will invest $76 million and the Government of Quebec at least that amount in recreational infrastructure projects carried out in cost-sharing partnership with municipal administrations or local organizations. These investments are thus expected to generate greater financial leverage, as is the case with the other infrastructure programs.

The funding announced today has been awarded through the Programme de soutien aux installations sportives et récréatives of the Government of Quebec’s Fonds pour le développement du sport et de l’activité physique and through the Government of Canada’s Recreational Infrastructure Canada Program.

About the Recreational Infrastructure Canada Program

Established under the economic action plan adopted by the federal government in January 2009, the Recreational Infrastructure Canada Program is aimed at stimulating immediate economic recovery and reducing the short-term impacts of the global recession. Government investment in this area will help create new jobs and improve the population’s health and quality of life. For more on this plan, see www.actionplan.gc.ca.

About the Fonds pour le développement du sport et de l’activité physique

The Fonds pour le développement du sport et de l’activité physique was created by the Government of Quebec to ensure all of the province’s regions access to new and improved sports facilities in order to promote healthier lifestyles among their populations. For further details on this initiative, visit http://www.mels.gouv.qc.ca.

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Sources:

Dave Leclerc
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Education,
Recreation and Sports
Tel.: 418-644-0664

Carole St-Yves
Political Attaché
MNA for Soulanges
Tel.: 450-456-3816

Danny Desbiens
Communications Advisor
Riding office of the MNA for Dubuc
Minister for Natural Resources and Wildlife and
Minister responsible for the Saguenay—Lac-Saint-Jean and Côte-Nord regions
Tel.: 418-544-8106

Benoît Fortin
Special Assistant, Communications
Office of the Honourable Denis Lebel
Canada Economic Development
Tel.: 819-997-3319