Standing ovation for the infrastructure upgrades coming to the Manitoba Theatre for Young People

WINNIPEG, MB, Feb. 20, 2024 /CNW/ - The Manitoba Theatre for Young People (MTYP) will receive accessibility and environmental upgrades after an investment of more than $1.3 million from the federal government.

Announced by Minister Dan Vandal, and Suzanne Munroe, MTYP Board Chair, this project will provide a more inclusive and sustainable space for the community to gather and express their creativity.

The funding will help provide barrier-free access to backstage and studio spaces, as well as public washroom modifications. Audiences, including neuro-diverse children, will also be able to enjoy the shows from a welcoming space with the redevelopment of the quiet room.

The project also includes renovations that will make the theatre a greener and more energy-efficient space. These include replacing the original roof and windows and updating overhead lighting with new LED technology as well as replacing the aging HVAC system. Once complete, improvements are expected to reduce the facility's energy consumption by an estimated 81.7 percent and greenhouse gas emissions by 288 tonnes annually. 

MTYP has been creating and presenting professional theatre productions for children and families since 1982, and has grown to become one of the most respected professional theatre companies in Canada. The facility also houses the MTYP School, that delivers theatre-in-education programs to over 1,500 children every year. It is also home to Native Youth Theatre, an educational program that offers free classes to Winnipeg's Indigenous youth, directed and delivered by Indigenous artists.

"This theatre is a vital space for Winnipeggers. In the heart of the Forks, this arts and cultural institution will now be more accessible and make use of innovative, green infrastructure solutions. These improvements to the Manitoba Theatre for Young People will provide children and guests of all ages with a modern facility where they can gather and express themselves while enjoying one of Manitoba's enriching cultural experiences."

The Honourable Dan Vandal, Minister of Northern Affairs, PrairiesCan and CanNor, on behalf of the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities

"These projects will improve and modernize MTYP's facility that has served as our home since 1999. This incredible building annually welcomes tens of thousands of children and youth, and the adults who care for them, to experience and participate in theatre and the arts. Thousands more enjoy these spaces thanks to the events and festivals held here by others in our community. Given the facility's position as a cultural hub, it is important that we reinvest in its infrastructure so it can serve us well for decades to come. We are grateful to the Government of Canada for contributing to the initiatives within our capital improvement plans that will enhance greening outcomes and create even more accessibility for the staff, artists, volunteers, and of course, the children, families and educators we serve."

Suzanne Munroe, MTYP Board Chair

• The federal government is investing $1,349,740 in this improvement project through the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings program (GICB) and the Manitoba Theatre for Young People is responsible for securing the remaining funding for this project.
• The GICB program aims to improve the places Canadians work, learn, play, live and come together by cutting pollution, reducing costs, 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.
• 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. It is supporting the Plan's first pillar through the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, the increase of energy efficiency, and helping develop higher resilience to climate change.
• The program is providing $1.5 billion over five years towards green and accessible retrofits, repairs or upgrades.
• For more information on the GICB program, please visit the Infrastructure Canada website.
• As the world moves towards a net-zero economy, people living and working on the Prairies are taking action and are leading to take advantage of growing economic development opportunities.
• On December 18, 2023, the federal government launched the Framework to Build a Green Prairie Economy, which highlights the need for a collaborative, region-specific approach to sustainability, focusing on strengthening the coordination of federal programs, and initiatives with significant investments. This Framework is a first step in a journey of multi-stakeholder collaboration. PrairiesCan has dedicated $100 million over three years to support projects aligned with priority areas identified by Prairie stakeholders to build a stronger, more sustainable, and inclusive economy for the Prairie provinces and Canada.
• Building a green Prairie economy is about working together on common interests, to make a sustainable and prosperous net-zero economy achievable.
• Infrastructure Canada is supporting the Framework to Build a Green Prairie Economy to encourage greater collaboration on investment opportunities, leverage additional funding, and attract new investments across the Prairies that better meet their needs.

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 Manitoba
https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/prog-proj-mb-eng.html

Building a Green Prairie Economy Act 
https://laws.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/B-9.88/page-1.html 

Building a Green Prairie Economy
https://www.canada.ca/en/prairies-economic-development/programs/green-prairie-economy.html 

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Web: Infrastructure Canada

SOURCE Infrastructure Canada