Canada and Ontario invest in improvements for the Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto

SCARBOROUGH, ON, May 26, 2021 /CNW/ - Canadians everywhere are feeling the impact of COVID-19, on their families, their livelihoods, and their way of life. Together, Canada and Ontario are working to reduce the impact of the pandemic, ensure health and safety, rebuild businesses, and promote job creation, growth and investment.

Today, Shaun Chen, Member of Parliament for Scarborough North, on behalf of the Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities; the Honourable Raymond Cho, Ontario's Minister for Seniors and Accessibility and Member of Provincial Parliament for Scarborough North, on behalf of the Honourable Laurie Scott, Ontario's Minister of Infrastructure; and Alan Lam, Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto announced joint funding for upgrades to the Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto.

The Government of Canada is investing more than $2.8 million in this project through the Community, Culture and Recreation Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada plan. The Government of Ontario is providing more than $2.3 million, while the Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto is contributing more than $1.8 million.

The project includes increasing the existing service space, and expanding accessibility to the Centre's outdoor and indoor program and activity areas. Additional work includes expanding and remodeling the open yard into a new outdoor garden and an indoor multipurpose space, upgrading the audio-visual, sound, and lighting systems in the front foyer, remodelling the current library space into a multipurpose resource centre, and improving the 626-seat theatre and multipurpose hall with new audio-visual and lighting systems.

This new complex will provide the Chinese community in Greater Toronto with a modern, reliable, and more accessible community centre where people can connect and enjoy the cultural and recreational programs they value for years to come.   

All orders of government continue to work together for the people of Ontario to make strategic infrastructure investments in communities across the province when needed most.

Quotes

"Ensuring residents have access to cultural and recreational infrastructure is important for social inclusion and wellbeing. Today's investment to expand and upgrade the Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto will provide our diverse communities access to a modern and reliable facility where they can enjoy more recreational activities and community events for decades to come. Canada's infrastructure plan invests in thousands of projects, creates jobs across the country, and builds cleaner, more inclusive communities."

Shaun Chen, Member of Parliament for Scarborough North, on behalf of The Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities

"The Chinese Cultural Centre is a cornerstone of our community. The programs and services that the Chinese Cultural Centre offers help people of all ages in Scarborough and across the Greater Toronto Area. The Ontario government is pleased to invest over $2.3 million to upgrade the multi-purpose hall and theatre, expand and remodel outdoor and indoor activity spaces, and support efforts to make the Centre more accessible. Organizations like the Chinese Cultural Centre demonstrate that the strength of our province is found in our cultural diversity, including our vibrant Chinese-Ontarian community."

The Honourable Raymond Cho, Ontario's Minister for Seniors and Accessibility and Member of Provincial Parliament for Scarborough North, on behalf of The Honourable Laurie Scott, Ontario's Minister of Infrastructure

"The Chinese Cultural Centre (CCC) of Greater Toronto continues to appreciate the unwavering support from the Federal and Provincial governments with this generous funding. Not only will the CCC be able to do some much needed technological and accessibility improvements to its existing facilities that have served so many, now we will be able to finally realize the dream of an Asian Garden. This Garden will be as functional as symbolic, highlighting plant biodiversity, creating pathways for meditation, and serve as an educational opportunity in a natural setting. Most notably, it can serve as a representation of the continued symbiosis of Chinese Canadians in this country for generations to come."

Alan Lam, Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto

Quick facts

• Through the Investing in Canada plan, the federal government 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. 
• Across Ontario, the Government of Canada has invested more than $12.5 billion in over 3,200 infrastructure projects.
• Across the province and over the next ten years, Ontario is investing approximately $320 million and Canada is investing approximately $407 million under the Community, Culture and Recreation Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program. This stream supports the construction of new facilities and upgrades to existing facilities that improve community infrastructure (community centres, libraries), recreational venues (arenas, recreational spaces) and cultural spaces (theatres, museums).
• Ontario is investing over $10.2 billion under the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program to improve public transit; community, culture and recreation; green, and rural and northern community and other priority infrastructure.

Associated links

Federal infrastructure investments in Ontario
https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/prog-proj-on-eng.html

Investing in Canada Plan Project Map
http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/gmap-gcarte/index-eng.html

Ontario Builds Project Map: https://www.ontario.ca/page/building-ontario

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SOURCE Infrastructure Canada