WATERLOO, ON, July 14, 2023 /CNW/ - Today, the Honourable Bardish Chagger, Member of Parliament for Waterloo, Tim Louis, Member of Parliament for Kitchener—Conestoga, and Alex Mustakas, Artistic Director & CEO of Drayton Entertainment, announced a federal investment of over $1 million to convert an industrial warehouse into a new accessible cultural space for youth.
The new Drayton Entertainment Youth Academy will serve as a cultural incubator for youth throughout the Waterloo Region. This investment will support retrofitting the industrial space and constructing rehearsal halls, classrooms, music rooms, and acting studios. It will also enable the construction of an exterior ramp at the Youth Academy, as well as building accessible washrooms at three other locations.
Sustainable enhancements to the facility will decrease its fuel consumption by 44.7% and greenhouse gas emissions by 673 tonnes per year.
Operated by Drayton Entertainment, a registered, not-for-profit charitable arts organization, the facility is located adjacent to the Production Centre for the Technical Arts, resulting in bolstered multidisciplinary, artistic programming.
The 12,000-square-foot facility will host arts-based learning that will benefit local youth, particularly those identifying as Indigenous, black, persons of colour, 2SLGBTQI+, new Canadians, and/or persons with disabilities.
By investing in infrastructure, the Government of Canada is growing our country's economy, building resilient communities, and improving the lives of Canadians.
"Waterloo is a dynamic and a diverse place. Drayton Entertainment's Youth Academy is another place for residents to come together and foster a sense of civic culture in the community. By transforming an industrial space into a hub for the arts and culture, we are reinforcing the spirit of creativity and innovation that Waterloo is known for."
The Honourable Bardish Chagger, Member of Parliament for Waterloo, on behalf of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities
"Making spaces inclusive by default is exactly what our government wants to achieve: a shift towards a barrier-free country for all. This initiative represents that shift. Thanks to an investment from the Enabling Accessibility Fund, young people in Waterloo Region will be able to explore their creativity without barriers."
The Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion
"This new inclusive space for young people to create, collaborate, and perform has my unwavering support. The last few years have shown us that the arts, particularly performing arts, offer an irreplaceable experience transcending age, culture, and language. The federal funding provided will help empower these young performers to learn invaluable skills such as teamwork, critical thinking, and effective communication - all crucial to be the leaders of today and tomorrow."
Tim Louis, Member of Parliament for Kitchener—Conestoga
"Performing arts can help to transcend the boundaries of culture, language, and background, providing a space for discovery and creativity. The Drayton Entertainment Youth Academy will give opportunities to young people throughout Waterloo Region to celebrate diversity, nurture empathy, and embrace artistic innovation."
Bryan May, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence and Member of Parliament for Cambridge
"In the dimmed lights of the theatre, we are empowered to unveil our own personal identities. For young people today, finding authenticity and vulnerability is more challenging than ever. The Drayton Entertainment Youth Academy will be a space of imagination where young people from all over the Waterloo Region will be able to dream, explore, collaborate and create."
Valerie Bradford, Member of Parliament for Kitchener South—Hespeler
"We see our best opportunity to make real and lasting generational change in our society through youth education, and in so doing, positively affect the quality of life for the community-at-large. Our new Youth Academy represents a new cultural value chain that aligns our mission and vision to an environmentally sustainable world."
Alex Mustakas, Artistic Director & CEO, Drayton Entertainment
- The Government of Canada's investment comes from the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings (GICB) program and the Enabling Accessibility Fund (EAF) - Small Projects Component.
- The Green and Inclusive Community Buildings (GICB) program was created in support of Canada's Strengthened Climate Plan, supporting the Plan's first pillar through the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, the increase of energy efficiency, and higher resilience to climate change. It is providing $1.5 billion over five years towards green and accessible retrofits, repairs or upgrades.
- The GICB program aims to improve the places Canadians work, learn, play, live and gather by cutting pollution, making life more affordable, and supporting thousands of good jobs. Through the green and other upgrades to existing public community buildings and new builds in underserved communities, the GICB helps ensure community facilities are inclusive, accessible, and have a long service life, while also helping Canada move towards its net-zero objectives by 2050.
- At least 10 percent of funding is allocated to projects serving First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities, including Indigenous populations in urban centres.
- The GICB program was created in support of Canada's Strengthened Climate Plan: a Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy, supporting the Plan's first pillar through the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, the increase of energy efficiency, and higher resilience to climate change. It is providing $1.5 billion over five years towards green and accessible retrofits, repairs or upgrades.
- The Enabling Accessibility Fund (EAF) provides funding for projects that make Canadian communities and workplaces more accessible for persons with disabilities. EAF aims to create more opportunities for persons with disabilities to take part in community activities, programs and services, or access employment.
There are three different program components in EAF: small projects, youth innovation and mid-sized projects.
Green and Inclusive Community Buildings:
https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/gicb-bcvi/index-eng.html
Strengthened Climate Plan:
https://www.canada.ca/en/services/environment/weather/climatechange/climate-plan/climate-plan-overview.html
Enabling Accessibility Fund:
https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/programs/enabling-accessibility-fund.html
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(media only), please contact: Jean-Sébastien Comeau, Press Secretary and Senior Communications Advisor, Office of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities, 343-574-8116, [email protected]; Media Relations: Infrastructure Canada, 613-960-9251, Toll free: 1-877-250-7154, Email: [email protected]; Steven Karcher, Executive Director, Drayton Entertainment, 519-621-5511 ext.234, [email protected]
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