Canada and Quebec support the development of recreational opportunities for Drummondville residents

DRUMMONDVILLE, QC, July 12, 2018 /CNW/ - The governments of Canada and Quebec recognize the importance of having good recreational infrastructure that encourages people to adopt healthy lifestyles and makes communities vibrant inclusive places to live.

Marc Miller, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, and Laurent Lessard, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, and Minister Responsible for the Centre-du-Québec Region, today announced that the governments of Canada and Quebec will each invest over $551,000 to improve two sports facilities in Drummondville. This financial support comes from the New Building Canada Fund, Provincial-Territorial Infrastructure Component?Small Communities Fund. The City of Drummondville will also invest more than $551,000 to bring the total government and municipal investment to over $1.6 million.

The first project involves rebuilding and upgrading the Woodyatt Pool to provide users with better services. The second project will extend a section of the bike path on Lemire Boulevard between Janelle and Jean-Berchmans-Michaud streets. This new section will be more than 1,200 metres long and help meet residents' active mobility needs. Once completed, the work will increase sports opportunities in the municipality and encourage residents to stay active.

Quotes

"The Woodyatt Pool and Drummondville bike path improvement projects will provide families with sports facilities that meet their growing needs and help them stay fit while having fun. Our Government is proud to invest in recreational infrastructure that promotes individual well-being, community vitality and economic growth."

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

"By supporting these projects in Drummondville, we are demonstrating our commitment to providing local residents with safe accessible facilities and helping municipalities ensure the durability and quality of their infrastructure. The adoption of healthy habits is a cornerstone of the government's health policy, so I am proud to support a project that will encourage residents to participate in regular physical activity."

Laurent Lessard, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, and Minister Responsible for the Centre-du-Québec Region, on behalf of Sébastien Proulx, Minister of Education, Recreation and Sports, Minister Responsible for the Capitale-Nationale Region

"Woodyatt Park is a particularly welcoming place in our downtown area. After the extensive upgrades to this natural, seven-hectare gem in 2015, more and more Drummondville residents have made this important green space their own. A city's role is to build a happy community, and with projects such as the rehabilitation of the Woodyatt Pool, we are helping residents adopt a healthy lifestyle."

Alexandre Cusson, Mayor of Drummondville

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 enhance their cultural, sports, recreational, and tourism assets or safeguard public assets.
• The Government of Canada will invest more than $180 billion over 12 years in public transit projects, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, trade and transportation routes, and Canada's rural and northern communities. $25.3 billion of this funding will support social infrastructure in Canadian communities.
• Quebec's 2018-2028 Infrastructure Plan calls for nearly $7.3 billion in investments in municipal infrastructure under the Quebec Department of Municipal Affairs and Land Occupancy. When combined with contributions from the Government of Canada and municipalities, this means over $14.3 billion will be invested in municipal infrastructure in Quebec over this period.

Associated Links

Investing in Canada: Canada's Long-Term Infrastructure Plan:
http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/about-invest-apropos-eng.html

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

New Building Canada Fund, Provincial-Territorial Infrastructure Component?Small Communities Fund:
http://www.mamot.gouv.qc.ca/infrastructures/programmes-daide-financiere/nouveau-fonds-chantiers-canada-quebec-volet-fonds-des-petites-collectivites-fpc/

Quebec's 2018-2028 Infrastructure Plan:
https://www.tresor.gouv.qc.ca/fileadmin/PDF/budget_depenses/18-19/fr/8-Infrastructures_publiques_du_Quebec.pdf

Twitter: @INFC_eng

Website: Infrastructure Canada

SOURCE Infrastructure Canada