The Group for Research and Education on Marine Mammals will be able to expand and modernize its Marine Mammal Interpretation Centre in Tadoussac

The Government of Canada awards over $730,000 in financial assistance to help the CIMM renew its exhibit and add new pieces to its collection

TADOUSSAC, QC, June 27, 2019 /CNW Telbec/ - Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED) and Canadian Heritage

Since 1991, the Group for Research and Education on Marine Mammals (GREMM), a non-profit organization, has been managing the Marine Mammal Interpretation Centre (CIMM), the Côte-Nord region's most visited tourist attraction. To enhance its tourism offerings, the organization will receive a non‑repayable contribution of $361,967 from Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED). With this financial assistance, the organization will be able to complete a project to modernize its facilities and expand its exhibit hall.

Canadian Heritage is providing the CIMM with $368,743 in assistance to help it modernize its facilities and enhance access to the natural heritage of the St. Lawrence River. The CIMM will be able to add more artifacts to its collection and diversify its programming.

The funding was announced today by Rémi Massé, Member of Parliament for Avignon–La Mitis–Matane–Matapédia and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, as part of a two-day tour of the Côte-Nord region.

More specifically, the Government of Canada's assistance will support the expansion and renovation of the exhibit hall, the replacement of some interpretive panels with interactive digital applications, the addition of valuable artifacts including the reconstructed skeletons of an endangered North Atlantic right whale, a fin whale and a humpback whale, as well as an almost 11,000-year-old beluga fossil. This project will help renew tourism offerings in Tadoussac and the Côte-Nord region as a whole and bring in more tourists from outside Quebec.

Founded in 1985, GREMM's mission is to promote knowledge of marine mammals and the ecosystem of the St. Lawrence Estuary. The CIMM is a reference centre whose purpose is to help people learn about the St. Lawrence and its wildlife. The CIMM's unique collection, original exhibit, scientific and recreational activities and geographic location attract more than 33,000 visitors each summer.

The project is in line with the new vision for tourism in Canada, which involves investing in the consolidation of diversified regional tourism offerings. The government's financial assistance showcases the competitive regional advantages of a flagship product combined with a strong international brand image built around whale exploration in the Saguenay Fjord.

Quotes

"The financial support provided will allow GREMM to develop and further showcase Côte‑Nord's attractions and bring even more visitors to the region. The team's vision is exciting, their passion is contagious, and their projects are beneficial for the village of Tadoussac. Through this support, the Government of Canada is reaffirming its commitment to promote Quebec's tourism regions, which has a positive impact on the local economy."

Rémi Massé, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development

"The Government of Canada wholeheartedly supports recreational, cultural and sports projects that have a positive impact on tourism and the local economy, further showcase the incomparable assets all around us, and resonate well beyond the region. I am delighted with CED's support for GREMM, which will be able to provide an unparalleled site for discovery to attract visitors from all over the world, who will become ambassadors beyond our borders."

The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister responsible for CED

"With the development of new technologies, a whole world of possibilities is opening up for museums today. Although technological advances offer great potential, the frantic pace of change also requires museums to innovate continuously in order to better capture and maintain the public's interest. I am proud to know that our government's support for the Marine Mammal Interpretation Centre will help make it even more attractive to its many visitors and enrich their experience."

The Honourable Pablo Rodriguez, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism

"GREMM's character lies in the alignment of our research projects with our educational projects. Thanks to the financial support of our valuable partners, GREMM will be able to instill more scientific culture in the tens of thousands of visitors to the Marine Mammal Interpretation Centre."

Robert Michaud, President, Group for Research and Education on Marine Mammals

"Since 1991, the Marine Mammal Interpretation Centre has been inspiring thousands of people to protect the environment to protect whales. With the financial support we received today, our Centre will be able to do an even better job of telling the story of how the history of the whales of the St. Lawrence connects to ours. It will become a scientific museum that meets the highest international standards."

Patrice Corbeil, Director, Marine Mammal Interpretation Centre

Quick facts

Today's announcement was made on behalf of the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister responsible for the Innovation, Science and Economic Development portfolio, which is made up of 17 federal departments and agencies, including CED and the other five regional development agencies, and the Honourable Pablo Rodriguez, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism.

CED's assistance was awarded under the Quebec Economic Development Program. To find out more about CED and its priorities, see the 2019–2020 Departmental Plan or visit www.dec‑ced.gc.ca.

The funding from Canadian Heritage was provided through the Canada Cultural Spaces Fund (CCSF), which supports the improvement of physical conditions for arts, heritage, culture and creative innovation. The Fund supports renovation and construction projects, the acquisition of specialized equipment and feasibility studies related to cultural spaces.

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SOURCE Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions

Media Relations, Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions, Tel.: [phone], Email: [email protected]; Media Relations, Canadian Heritage, 819-994-9101, 1-866-569-6155, [email protected]