Fonds d'initiatives nordiques - 32 Projects North of the 49th Parallel Receive a Total of $2.8 Million In Funding

QUÉBEC, Nov. 11, 2021 /CNW Telbec/ - Thirty-two initiatives from all over Northern Québec will receive funding from the Fonds d'initiatives nordiques (FIN). In total, selected projects represent an investment of over $6.1 million.

Today, Mr. Jonatan Julien, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources and Minister responsible for the Côte-Nord and Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine regions, announced $2,8 million would be granted to support these thirty-two selected projects. A list of all selected initiatives is now available on the Société du Plan Nord (SPN) website. 

The thirty-two selected projects include fifteen from the Côte-Nord region, five from the northern Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region, ten from the Nord-du-Québec region (nine in Eeyou Istchee Baie-James and one in Nunavik). Two projects that involve two or more northern regions of the province have also been selected as part of this program. 

FIN is a financial assistance program that aims at meeting Nordic communities' priority needs in real-time, as featured in the gouvernement du Québec's Northern Action Plan (NAP). A total of $11 million has been allocated to this program. The SPN, which coordinates the 20-23 NAP implementation, is the lead agency for this program.   

Quote :

"I am pleased to see once again the original and promising projects proposed by northern organizations and businesses. The funding announced today will translate into concrete results north of the 49^th parallel. Il will enable us to meet needs identified by local communities which are listed in our 2020-2023 Northern Action Plan."

Jonatan Julien, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources and Minister responsible for the Côte-Nord Region and the Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine Region

Highlights :

• Twenty-five funded projects fall under FIN's Section A, while seven projects fall under FIN's Section B.
  
  
• Section A of the FIN, "Community Development and Environmental Conservation," is designed to support and promote projects that foster:
• the development and well-being in northern communities;
• environmental protection and biodiversity conservation;
• the development of the northern territory and the vitality of its communities;
• the capacity to act of northern communities.
  
  
• Section B of the FIN, "Entrepreneurial Initiatives," is designed to support and promote projects that :
• promote the implementation by stakeholders in the territory of structuring entrepreneurship projects;
• support economic diversification projects;
• enhance business performance;
• foster job creation.
  
  
• The 20-23 NAP reflects the priorities identified by Northern Quebec stakeholders. It aims to provide relevant communities with the appropriate tools and enable them to inhabit the territory fully. The gouvernement du Québec will invest $778.6 million, or more than half of the amount provided in the 20-23 NAP, to support businesses and residents who are established and active north of the 49th parallel. Twenty departments and agencies of the gouvernement du Québec jointly designed the 20-23 NAP's 49 socio-economic actions.
  
  
• SPN's mission is to contribute to the integrated and holistic development of Québec's northern territory based on government-issued orientations. It does so in consultation with relevant regional representatives and Indigenous communities, and the private sector.

Related Links :

See the complete list of selected northern initiatives.

Read the complete version of the 2020-2023 Northern Action Plan on SPN's website: plannord.gouv.qc.ca.

Follow the 20-23 NAP rollout on Twitter: @plannord.

SOURCE Société du Plan Nord

Source: Geneviève Tremblay, Press Officer, Office of the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Minister responsible for the Côte-Nord region and Minister responsible for the Gaspésie−Îles-de-la-Madeleine region., Phone: [phone]; Information: Andréanne Séguin, Communications Manager, Société du Plan Nord, Phone: [phone], ext. 66409