Residents of Middleton benefit from larger, modern community centre

MIDDLETON, NS, Dec. 8, 2020 /CNW/ - The Governments of Canada and Nova Scotia recognize the different ways that the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted smaller and rural communities across the province. Both governments are making strategic investments in infrastructure to meet the specific needs of rural Nova Scotian municipalities and help them strengthen their local economies.

That is why governments are taking decisive action together, to support families, businesses and communities, and continue to look ahead to see what more can be done.

Andy Fillmore, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, the Honourable Catherine McKenna, and Member of Parliament for Halifax, on behalf of Maryam Monsef, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Rural Economic Development; the Honourable Stephen McNeil, Premier of Nova Scotia and MLA for Annapolis; and His Worship, Sylvester Atkinson, Mayor of the Town of Middleton, today announced funding for a new community centre in the Town of Middleton.

Town residents will benefit from a new community centre that will meet the growing need for a large, accessible space for events, meetings, and recreational and cultural activities. The new centre will include a large multipurpose room that will accommodate over 200 people, an industrial-sized kitchen and canteen, and accessible and inclusive restrooms. It will also function as a comfort station during regional emergencies.

The new Middleton Community Centre will provide area residents and visitors with greater access to modern, accessible community infrastructure, and be a place where people can gather for years to come.

The Government of Canada is investing over $1.1 million in this project through the Rural and Northern Infrastructure stream (RNIS) of the Investing in Canada program. The Government of Nova Scotia is contributing over $630,000, with the Town of Middleton contributing over $126,500 to this project. The Government of Nova Scotia is also investing another $368,000 outside the cost-shared Investing in Canada program, for a total contribution of almost $1 million.

Quotes

"Investing in modern, rural infrastructure will help grow local economies, build stronger, more inclusive communities, and support the health and prosperity of Canadians. The new Middleton Community Centre will provide more options for modern and inclusive event space that better serves this growing community's needs. We are proud to work with our partners to deliver this important project to the Town of Middleton."

Andy Fillmore, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, the Honourable Catherine McKenna, and Member of Parliament for Halifax, on behalf of Maryam Monsef, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Rural Economic Development

"Community centres are a gathering place for activities, sports, meetings, and special events. This new centre in Middleton will be a hub for the community offering educational, recreational and cultural programing for generations to come."

The Honourable Stephen McNeil, Premier of Nova Scotia

"The Town and its residents have waited a long time for this project to get started and with this significant funding from the Federal and Provincial levels of government we will be able to provide the area with a new community centre and comfort centre in time of emergency, and the backing and momentum to raise the remaining money for a new fire hall."

His Worship, Sylvester Atkinson, Mayor of the Town of Middleton

Quick facts

• Through the Investing in Canada infrastructure plan, the Government of Canada is investing 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.
• $2 billion of this funding is supporting infrastructure projects that meet the unique needs of rural and northern communities to grow local economies, improve social inclusiveness, better safeguard the health and environment of rural and northern communities, and enhance broadband connectivity.
• The Government of Canada has invested more than $826 million in 202 infrastructure projects across Nova Scotia under the Investing in Canada plan.
• To support Canadians and communities during the COVID-19 pandemic, a new stream has been added to the over $33-billion Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program to help fund pandemic-resilient infrastructure. Existing program streams have also been adapted to include more eligible project categories, and some administrative requirements have been streamlined to accommodate faster approvals.
• The COVID-19 Resilience Stream will help other orders of governments whose finances have been significantly impacted by the pandemic by increasing the federal cost share for public infrastructure projects to up to 80% in the provinces. Federal funding will cover 100% of the cost of projects in the territories and for projects with Indigenous recipients.
• The Canada Healthy Communities Initiative will provide up to $31 million in existing federal funding to support communities as they deploy innovative new ways to adapt spaces and services to respond to immediate and ongoing needs arising from COVID-19 over the next two years.

Associated links

Investing in Canada: Canada's Long-Term Infrastructure Plan:
http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/icp-publication-pic-eng.html

Investing in Canada Plan Project Map:
http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/map

Investing in COVID-19 Community Resilience:
https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/covid-19-resilience-eng.html

Federal infrastructure investments on Nova Scotia:
https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/prog-proj-ns-eng.html

Rural Opportunity, National Prosperity: An Economic Development Strategy for Rural Canada:
https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/rural/strat-eng.html

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SOURCE Infrastructure Canada