Canada and Quebec support the construction of two multi-purpose recreational service facilities in Verchères and Calixa-Lavallée

VERCHÈRES, QC, July 14, 2017 /CNW/ - The governments of Canada and Quebec recognize the importance of having good recreational infrastructure that encourages the adoption healthy lifestyles and helps make communities vibrant, inclusive places to live. Thanks to joint government funding, the municipalities of Verchères and Calixa-Lavallée will both enjoy new recreational infrastructure that will enhance residents' quality of life while contributing to the growth of sporting activities and enduring community prosperity.

The Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities and Lucie Charlebois, Minister for Rehabilitation, Youth Protection, Public Health and Healthy Living and Minister Responsible for the Montérégie Region, today announced that the governments of Canada and Quebec will each invest over $191,000 for the construction of a service facility at Passe-Partout Park in Verchères. The building will include dressing rooms, toilets, a multi-purpose room and a storage space. The Municipality will also invest more than $191,000, bringing the total government and municipal investment to nearly $574,000.

The governments of Canada and Quebec will also each invest more than $66,000 for the construction of a recreational service building in Calixa-Lavallée, which will include a dressing room for people using the outdoor skating rink, a multi-purpose room and a space for sports equipment storage. The Municipality will also invest more than $66,000, bringing the total government and municipal investment to nearly $200,000.

The contributions for these two projects is being provided through the New Building Canada Fund, Provincial-Territorial Infrastructure Component—Small Communities Fund.

Quotes

"Recreational facilities help make our communities places where families can have fun and neighbours can come together. Our government is proud to invest in the construction of these recreational service buildings in Verchères and Calixa-Lavallée that will improve the quality of people's lives in the Montérégie region, while contributing to economic growth and the creation of well-paying jobs for the middle class."

The Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities

"Through support for construction projects such as these one, we are demonstrating our commitment to make safe and accessible facilities available to local residents and to help municipalities ensure the quality of their infrastructure over the long term. Thanks to these projects in Verchères and Calixa-Lavallée, Montérégie region residents will be able to participate in sports and physical activities on a regular basis, enabling them to adopt a physically active lifestyle."

Lucie Charlebois, Minister for Rehabilitation, Youth Protection, Public Health and Healthy Living and Minister Responsible for the Montérégie Region, on behalf of Sébastien Proulx, Minister of Education, Recreation and Sports, Minister of Families and Minister Responsible for the Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine Region 

"The Municipality of Verchères is pleased to receive financial assistance that will allow the completion of a project that has been highly anticipated by the people of Verchères. This support confirms the short-term achievement of our park facility at Passe-Partout Park. This new building will greatly improve our community service offerings."

Alexandre Bélisle, Mayor of Verchères                  

"This support will enable Calixa-Lavallée to build a facility exclusively for sporting and physical activities and offer complete recreational services to local residents. The building will be located at the back of the community center. It will serve as a heated locker room for outdoor skaters in the winter, and will also be used for summer activities. Members of the Recreation and Resident Committee enthusiastically welcome this announcement."

Daniel Plouffe, Mayor of Calixa-Lavallée

Quick Facts

• The Small Communities Fund is a joint federal‒provincial program coordinated by Infrastructure Canada in partnership with the provinces and territories. In Quebec, the Fund is administered by the Quebec Department of Municipal Affairs and Land Occupancy. The goal of this program is to provide financial support to Canadian municipalities with fewer than 100,000 residents to develop infrastructure that can enhance their cultural, sports, recreational, and tourism assets or safeguard public assets.
• The Government of Canada will provide more than $180 billion in infrastructure funding over 12 years for public transit, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, transportation that supports trade, and Canada's rural and northern communities.
• Budget 2017 proposes $21.9 billion to support social infrastructure in Canadian communities.
• The 2017-2027 Quebec Infrastructure Plan calls for $7 billion in investments in municipal infrastructure under the Quebec Department of Municipal Affairs and Land Occupancy. When combined with contributions from the Government of Canada and municipalities, this means $15 billion will be invested in municipal infrastructure in Quebec over the next 10 years.

Associated Links

For more information about the government of Canada's $180-billion+ infrastructure plan in Budget 2017: http://www.budget.gc.ca/2017/docs/plan/chap-02-en.html

Federal investments in infrastructure projects in Quebec: http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/map-carte/index-eng.html

New Building Canada Plan: http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/nbcp-npcc-eng.html

New Building Canada Fund, Small Communities Fund:
http://www.mamot.gouv.qc.ca/infrastructures/programmes-daide-financiere/nouveau-fonds-chantiers-canada-quebec-volet-fonds-des-petites-collectivites-fpc/

2017-2027 Quebec Infrastructure Plan:
https://www.tresor.gouv.qc.ca/fileadmin/PDF/budget_depenses/17-18/infrastructuresPubliquesQuebec.pdf

SOURCE Infrastructure Canada

For further information: Contacts: Brook Simpson, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, 613 219-0149; Marie B. Deschamps, Press Secretary, Minister of Education, Recreation and Sports, Minister of Families and Minister Responsible for the Region of Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine, 418 644-0664; Bianca Boutin, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister for Rehabilitation, Youth Protection, Public Health and Healthy Living and Minister Responsible for the Montérégie Region, 418 266-7181; For information: Infrastructure Canada, 613 960-9251, Toll free: 1 877 250-7154, E-mail: [e-mail], Twitter: @INFC_eng, Website: Infrastructure Canada; Pierre-Luc Lévesque, Communications, Department of Municipal Affairs, Land Occupancy, and Public Security, 418 646-6777, ext. 3746

Related Links

http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/