Minister Lametti Announces $2 Million for Foyer Richelieu Welland Community and Cultural Centre Construction Français
The Government of Canada invests in an important institution for Welland's Francophone community
WELLAND, ON, April 8, 2021 /CNW/ - By choosing to live their lives in their language, 2.4 million Canadians in official language minority communities are a model of everyday resilience. The Government of Canada understands the importance of helping these communities create and maintain strong institutions, supported by and for their community, to ensure their vitality and sustainability. That is why gathering places are essential to the survival of these many communities.
The Honourable David Lametti, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, announced $2 million in funding for Foyer Richelieu Welland through the Community Spaces Fund today. He made the announcement on behalf of the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages.
Minister Lametti spoke at a virtual press conference. He was joined by Vance Badawey, Member of Parliament (Niagara Centre), Milan Plentai, Chair of Foyer Richelieu Welland's Board of Directors and Louise Pitre, Honorary Co-Chair of the Fonds Richelieu Welland foundation's fundraising campaign.
The construction of a community and cultural centre in Foyer Richelieu Welland will allow residents to benefit from a wide range of community, cultural and social activities and services in French including those who make use of the day hospice program and the drop-in centre as well as their families, caregivers, community partners and members of Welland's Francophone community.
This project will contribute directly to the vitality of Welland's Francophone community, a community that is more than 100 years old in the Niagara Region in southern Ontario. It will ensure that seniors and their caregivers receive the recognition, respect and support they deserve. It will also provide opportunities for seniors to gather and thrive in their own language, and will raise awareness of the community's aging population, which will have a major impact on intergenerational integration.
On February 19, Minister Joly submitted a public reform document reaffirming the Government of Canada's intention to work towards "a substantive equality of official languages in Canada." Strong institutions for official language minority communities are among the pillars for the success of this initiative. Today's funding announcement is a good example of concrete government action to achieve this goal.
Quotes
"By supporting the growth of Foyer Richelieu Welland, a leader in Welland's network of Francophone institutions that recently celebrated its 30th anniversary, our government is reaffirming its support for Canada's minority Francophone communities."
—The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages
"It gives me great pleasure today to announce this major federal government investment for Welland's Francophone minority community. By consolidating Foyer Richelieu Welland and the French-language community, cultural and social activities and services it provides, we are strengthening the future health of the entire community."
—The Honourable David Lametti, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
"The Francophone community in Niagara Centre will benefit from the renewed momentum this infrastructure project will generate. La Foyer Richelieu Welland has become a national model for community services for Francophone seniors. This expansion will allow them to offer enhanced services and enable them to continue to be a community within a community. I look forward to continuing to work with Sean Keays and his team on this new investment that will contribute to the growth of la Foyer Richelieu and the overall community."
—Vance Badawey, Member of Parliament (Niagara Centre)
"It's a wonderful day for Francophones and for everyone who wants to come together in a multigenerational, community environment coloured by Francophone culture. All Francophones in this region will be able to benefit from this major investment. Thanks to this support from Canadian Heritage, Minister Joly, Member of Parliament Badawey and many others, Francophones in Welland will be able to make use of a community cultural centre in our care centre. We are very happy to work with government on this very important progress."
—Milan Plentai, chair of the board of directors, Foyer Richelieu Welland
Quick Facts
Foyer Richelieu Welland is a non-profit organization located in Welland, in Ontario's Niagara Region. Its mission is to provide services to Francophones requiring long-term care.
The Action Plan for Official Languages 2018–2023: Investing in Our Future dedicated $67.3 million over five years for educational and cultural infrastructure construction projects in official language minority communities. Part of that amount is dedicated to the Community Spaces Fund.
The Community Spaces Fund provides non-profit organizations in minority language communities with the spaces they need to offer social and cultural activities in their language. These gathering places encourage dialogue and support development at the individual and community level. The creation of these living spaces supports these organizations' capacity and helps communities thrive.
In the February 19 document, English and French: Towards a Substantive Equality of Official Languages in Canada, Minister Joly outlined the Government of Canada's intentions to modernize and strengthen the Official Languages Act and its related instruments. The document revealed broad changes and new measures to achieve language equality in Canada.
This ambitious reform includes 56 proposals covering almost all sections of the Act. Of these, 33 are legislative amendments aimed at strengthening the Act's provisions.
The reform document's third guiding principle addresses the importance of support for institutions in official language minority communities.
Associated Links
Action Plan for Official Languages 2018–2023: Investing in Our Future
SOURCE Canadian Heritage
(media only), please contact: Catherine Mounier-Desrochers, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages, 613-295-3617, [email protected]; Media Relations, Canadian Heritage, 819-994-9101, 1-866-569-6155, [email protected]
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