MACTIER, ON, Oct. 3, 2023 /CNW/ - Today, the Honourable Robert Oliphant, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Member of Parliament for Don Valley West and John M. Rafferty, President and CEO, Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB), announced a federal investment of more than $2.3 million to support retrofits to a number of buildings at the CNIB's Lake Joe camp in MacTier, Ontario.
This investment will enable CNIB to expand its services to four seasons and to receive 900 additional attendees. Funding will enhance the camp's resiliency and expand programming to year-round by providing better insulation, replacing baseboard heating with ground source heat pumps, adding LED fixtures, and upgrading windows in many of the camp's buildings. Once complete, these improvements are expected to reduce the facility's energy consumption by an estimated 58% and greenhouse gas emissions by 83.10 tonnes annually.
Since 1918, CNIB has been delivering innovative programs and advocating for people impacted by blindness to live their dreams and tear down barriers to inclusion. These upgrades at Lake Joe will allow CNIB to welcome more Canadians with sight loss and their families to the camp year‑round in a safe and accessible recreational environment.
By investing in infrastructure, the Government of Canada is growing our country's economy, building resilient communities, and improving the lives of Canadians.
"By investing in CNIB Lake Joe, we are helping more campers with sight loss and their families have an incredibly important camp experience year-round."
The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities
"The Government of Canada is proud to invest in the CNIB Lake Joe camp through the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings Program. By supporting green retrofits and improvements, we are ensuring that this beloved camp can continue to make a positive impact in the lives of Canadians who are blind, partially sighted or Deafblind, and their families. We are dedicated to fostering a more sustainable and accessible future for all."
The Honourable Robert Oliphant, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Member of Parliament for Don Valley West
"Every year, CNIB Lake Joe welcomes hundreds of campers with sight loss and their families to its shores, providing enriching camp experiences and the opportunity to enjoy recreational activities in a safe, welcoming, and accessible environment. Once the improvements made possible by the GICB program are complete, CNIB Lake Joe will be able to offer an even better experience for our participants, while also doing more to protect our pristine natural environment. We're incredibly grateful for this support and look forward to hosting year-round programming for generations of Canadians who are blind, low vision, or Deafblind to come."
John M. Rafferty, President and CEO, CNIB
- Our Government is investing $2,347,065 to this project through the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings program (GICB) and the Canadian National Institute for the Blind will fundraise $586,766 for this project.
- 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 green and other upgrades to existing public community buildings and new builds in underserved communities, the GICB program 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.
- For more information, please visit the Infrastructure Canada website.
- 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.
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
Federal infrastructure investments in Ontario:
https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/prog-proj-on-eng.html
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Web: Infrastructure Canada
SOURCE Infrastructure Canada
Contacts: For more information (media only), please contact: Kevin Collins, Office of the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities, [email protected]; Media Relations, Infrastructure Canada, 613-960-9251, Toll free: 1-877-250-7154, Email: [email protected]; Alison Byczok, Vice President of Marketing, Canadian National Institute for the Blind, 416-272-0464, [email protected]
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