Close to $6 million in funding to help Thetford Mines improve its sports infrastructure to host the Quebec Games

THETFORD MINES, QC, April 20, 2017 /CNW/ - The governments of Canada and Quebec recognize the importance of having good recreational infrastructure that encourages people to adopt healthy lifestyles, and contributes to making communities vibrant and inclusive places to live. Thanks to joint government funding, the City of Thetford Mines will be able renovate its sports facilities to accommodate the Quebec Games in the summer of 2018, while enhancing residents' quality of life and contributing to the growth of sporting activities and enduring community prosperity.

Marc Miller, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, along with Sébastien Proulx, Quebec's Minister of Education, Recreation and Sports, Minister of Families and Minister Responsible for the Region of Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine, and Laurent Lessard, Minister of Transport, Sustainable Mobility and Transport Electrification, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Minister Responsible for the Centre-du-Québec Region and Member of the National Assembly for Lotbinière–Frontenac, today announced that the governments of Canada and Quebec will each invest more than $375,000 for upgrades to multiple sporting facilities. This financial support comes from the New Building Canada Fund, Small Communities Fund–Provincial-Territorial Infrastructure Component. The City of Thetford Mines will also invest more than $375,000 to bring the total government and municipal investment to more than $1.1 million.

The project involves creating beach volleyball courts, renovating existing tennis courts, constructing a service building with toilets and change rooms, installing shelters for players along three soccer fields, and renovating three baseball fields. These upgrades will make it possible to host a varierty of different events during the 2018 Quebec Games in facilities that meet the standards and regulations of Quebec's various sporting federations.

In addition to the amount provided under the Small Communities Fund, Quebec's Ministry of Education and Higher Education is providing over $5.5 million in support of the Quebec Games in Thetford Mines. More than $2.8 million of this amount is allocated to its partners: Sports-Québec, les Unités régionales de loisir et sport, and the organizing committee for the organization of the 2018 edition of the Quebec Games. The remaining $2.8 million will go towards the renovation and construction of the sports facilities in Thetford Mines under Phase III of the Programme de soutien aux installations sportives et récréatives.

Quotes

"Recreational infrastructure helps make our communities places where families can have fun and get together. Our government is proud to be making investments, like the one we're announcing today in Thetford Mines, that will enable the municipality to host the Quebec Games, offer residents new opportunities to engage in a variety of sports year-round, and foster economic growth and the creation of well-paid middle class jobs."

Marc Miller, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities

"By supporting renovation and rehabilitation projects such as this one, we are demonstrating our desire to make safe and accessible facilities available to local residents and help municipalities ensure the quality of their infrastructure over the long term. In addition to accomodating major sporting events like the Quebec Games, this project will allow Chaudière-Appalaches residents to practice sports and physical activities on a regular basis, encouraging them to adopt active lifestyles."

Sébastien Proulx, Quebec's Minister of Education, Recreation and Sports, Minister of Families and Minister Responsible for the Region of Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine

"Upgrading and improving sports facilities has always been important. We saw it in 1980, later in 2003, and it will be the case again in 2018. The work undertaken to accommodate the Quebec Games will leave an important legacy. Local residents will be able to discover, and rediscover, these facilities, while engaging in a variety of sports year-round. This investment demonstrates how the well-being and quality of life of our residents is at the heart of our Government's priorities."

Laurent Lessard, Minister of Transport, Sustainable Mobility and Transport Electrification, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Minister Responsible for the Centre-du-Québec Region and Member of the National Assembly for Lotbinière–Frontenac

"In addition to improving our infrastructure and enabling us to host the Finals of the Quebec Games in the summer of 2018, this financial support announced today is good news for us, as it will contribute to our municipality's outreach and long-term development. Will we be able to host new sporting events and the entire population of Thetford Mines will benefit from this new infrastructure."

Marc-Alexandre Brousseau, Mayor of Thetford Mines

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.
• On April 3, the Government of Québec launched the Politique de l'activité physique, du sport et du loisir Au Québec on bouge! Almost $64 million is allocated over three years for the implementation of various measures that promote physical activity, sport and recreation in Quebec. An additional $507 million will also be invested to support sports and recreational facility projects throughout Quebec.
• 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.

Related links

For more information on the Government of Canada's $180‑billion Infrastructure Plan in the 2017 Budget: http://www.budget.gc.ca/2017/docs/plan/chap-02-en.html5

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

The 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/

SOURCE Infrastructure Canada

Contacts: Marie B. Deschamps, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Education, Recreation and Sports, Minister of Families and Minister responsible for the Gaspésie-Iles de la Madeleine region, 613‑960-0664; Jean-Philip Gagné, Political Attaché, Office of the MNA for Lotbinière-Frontenac, 418 332-3444; Brook Simpson, Press secretary, Office of the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, 613-219-0149; For information: Infrastructure Canada, 613‑960-9251, Toll free: 1-877-250-7154, Email: [email protected], 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/