HALIFAX, NS, March 30, 2021 /CNW/ - The health and safety of Canadians are top priorities for the governments of Canada and Nova Scotia. Communities across Canada are on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic, and need immediate assistance to ensure their public infrastructure is safe and reliable.
That is why governments have been taking decisive action to support families, businesses and communities, and continue to look ahead to see what more can be done in these unprecedented times.
Today, the Honorable Bernadette Jordan, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard and Member of Parliament for South Shore—St. Margarets, and the Honourable Geoff Regan, Member of Parliament for Halifax West, on behalf of the Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities; along with the Honourable Derek Mombourquette, Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development and Member of the Legislative Assembly for Sydney—Whitney Pier, announced funding for five projects that will result in the installation of modular school classrooms for schools in the Halifax Regional Municipality in response to the impact of COVID-19.
These projects include the procurement and installation of 47 modular classrooms and eight washrooms at five local schools. The installations at Park West Elementary, Grosvenor-Wentworth Elementary, Fairview Heights Elementary, Clayton Park Junior High School, and Basinview Drive Community School will benefit staff and students by quickly and effectively adding more classroom space and washrooms, to enhance the learning environment, and adhere to COVID-19 safety guidelines.
The Government of Canada is investing more than $20 million in these projects through the COVID-19 Resilience Stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program. The Government of Nova Scotia is contributing more than $4 million.
Quotes
"Throughout this pandemic, we've moved quickly to ensure that Canadians have the support they need now, while also looking ahead. The addition of modular classrooms to our Halifax schools means a healthier, more productive environment for students and staff for years to come. Canada's infrastructure plan is about building up our communities now for a better, greener, post-pandemic future."
The Honourable Bernadette Jordan, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard and Member of Parliament for South Shore—St. Margarets, on behalf of the Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities
"I'm excited to participate in this funding announcement for additional educational spaces that will benefit students and staff in the Halifax Regional Municipality. Not only will these modular classrooms improve the quality of the students' experience and education, it will help manage current COVID-19 safety guidelines."
The Honourable Geoff Regan, Member of Parliament for Halifax West, on behalf of the Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities
"Nova Scotia, and Halifax in particular, continues to see strong population growth. Our investments in modular classrooms allow us to respond to this growth quickly and efficiently, while providing safe, comfortable classroom space for our students and teachers."
The Honourable Derek Mombourquette, Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development and Member of the Legislative Assembly for Sydney—Whitney Pier
Quick facts
- Through the Investing in Canada infrastructure plan, the Government of Canada is investing more than $180 billion over 12 years in public transit projects, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, trade and transportation routes, and Canada's rural and northern communities.
- To support Canadians and communities during the COVID-19 pandemic, a COVID-19 Resilience Stream has been added to the over $33-billion Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program to help fund pandemic-resilient infrastructure. Existing program streams have also been adapted to include more eligible project categories.
- Under the COVID-19 Resilience Stream, the federal cost share for public infrastructure projects is 80 per cent in the provinces, and 100 per cent in the territories and for projects intended for Indigenous communities.
- To support smaller-scale projects, the Canada Healthy Communities Initiative is providing up to $31 million in existing federal funding to help communities adapt spaces and services to respond to immediate and ongoing needs arising from COVID-19 over the next two years.
- The Government of Canada has invested over $831 million in 204 infrastructure projects across Nova Scotia under the Investing in Canada plan.
Associated links
Investing in COVID-19 Community Resilience
https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/covid-19-resilience-eng.html
Canada Healthy Communities Initiative
https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/chci-iccs/index-eng.html
Investing in Canada: Canada's Long-Term Infrastructure Plan
http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/icp-publication-pic-eng.html
Investing in Canada Plan Project Map
http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/map
Federal infrastructure investments in Nova Scotia
https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/prog-proj-ns-eng.html
Halifax Regional Centre for Education video about modular classrooms
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDy6P5q3HyQ
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SOURCE Infrastructure Canada
Chantalle Aubertin, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, 613-941-0660, [email protected]; Violet MacLeod, Nova Scotia Education and Early Childhood Development, Cell: 902-237-7367, [email protected]; Media Relations: Infrastructure Canada, 613-960-9251, Toll free: 1-877-250-7154, Email: [email protected]
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