A Federal-Provincial Investment of Close to $16 Million
Gatineau, Quebec, August 15, 2013 – The population in the Outaouais area now has a very modern, multi-purpose sports complex thanks to joint funding from the Government of Canada and the Government of Quebec.
The announcement was made today at the opening of the Branchaud-Brière Complex by the Honourable Pierre Poilievre, Minister of State (Democratic Reform) and Member of Parliament for Nepean—Carleton, on behalf of the Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of Infrastructure, Communities and Intergovernmental Affairs, and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec; Stéphane Bergeron, Minister of Public Safety, Minister responsible for the Outaouais Region and Member of the National Assembly for Verchères, on behalf of Sylvain Gaudreault, Minister of Municipal Affairs, Regions and Land Occupancy, Minister of Transport and Member of the National Assembly for Jonquière; and Marie Malavoy, Minister of Education, Recreation and Sport and Member of the National Assembly for Taillon. They also took the opportunity to remind the public about joint funding from Canada and Quebec of up to $12 million for Vision Multisports Outaouais for this project, in addition to a $4-million contribution from the Government of Quebec.
"This new complex provides Outaouais residents with opportunities to stay active and will contribute to the well-being of youth, families and residents for many years to come,"
stated Minister of State Pierre Poilievre. "Our Government is proud to invest in infrastructure projects like this one, as we focus on creating jobs, promoting growth and building strong, prosperous communities across Canada."
"It is a privilege for our government to participate in the opening of this new sports infrastructure in Gatineau. By supporting the Branchaud-Brière Complex, we are contributing to the region's socio-economic development. This sports complex will provide a centre of excellence in ice sports for the City of Gatineau, while fostering the development and progress of local and regional athletes. In addition, the new complex provides a first-rate alternative to physical fitness buffs, thus motivating the public, and mainly young people, to be active and to adopt healthy lifestyles,"
stated Minister Stéphane Bergeron.
The Branchaud-Brière Complex has two sections: one houses two ice rinks and bleachers with seating for about 1,400 spectators; it also has spaces for shared services, including a sports shop, locker rooms, physiotherapy centre, family restaurant and administrative offices. The other section features an indoor synthetic turf soccer-football field, which is adjacent to the Polyvalente Nicolas-Gatineau high school and integrated into the complex.
The joint funding of up to $12 million from the governments of Canada and Quebec for the two ice rinks was earmarked for Vision Multisports Outaouais. It was provided under the Major Infrastructure Component of the Building Canada Fund, whose goal is to fund major national and regional infrastructure projects, thus contributing to economic growth, environmental remediation and community prosperity.
In addition, funding of $4 million was designated for the development of the indoor synthetic soccer-football field and was provided under the Fonds pour le développement du sport et de l'activité physique through the Programme de soutien aux installations sportives et récréatives of the Quebec Department of Education, Recreation and Sports. In creating this fund, the Government of Quebec wanted to provide all of its regions with quality sports facilities. Vision Multisports Outaouais, the City of Gatineau and the Commission scolaire des Draveurs are also contributing to this new sports complex.
Canada's Economic Action Plan 2013 is delivering a new Building Canada Plan to build roads, bridges, subways, commuter rail, and other public infrastructure in cooperation with provinces, territories, and municipalities. Thanks to the Government of Canada's leadership and our strong economic and financial fundamentals, the Canadian economy has recovered from the global recession better than most other industrialized countries. Canada has been a leader among G-7 countries throughout the recovery with more than 965,000 net new jobs created since July 2009. The New Building Canada Plan, combined with other federal infrastructure investments, supports Canada's infrastructure advantage, a key enabler of economic growth and job creation.
The Government of Quebec's contribution to this project is being made under the 2013-2023 Plan québécois des infrastructures, unveiled in April. This 10-year plan provides for a total investment of $8.1 billion under the municipal infrastructure component. It will have a major economic impact on Quebec, creating or maintaining on average nearly 60,000 jobs a year. This plan signals a shift in investment in and management of public infrastructure. This new method will enable the province to assess needs prospectively in keeping with Quebecers' priorities, measure associated costs and make informed choices.
For additional information about federal investments in infrastructure and to stay up to date with Web feeds, visit Infrastructure Canada.
For more information on the Quebec infrastructure plan, visit Programme d'infrastructures Québec-Municipalités (available only in French).
For further information on Canada's Economic Action Plan, visit Canada's Economic Action Plan.
Aussi disponible en français sur le site d'Infrastructure Canada.
Marie-Josée Paquette
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Infrastructure, Communities and Intergovernmental Affairs and
Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec
613-943-1838
Infrastructure Canada
613-960-9251
Toll-free: 1-877-250-7154
Marie-Eve Imonti
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Municipal Affairs, Regions and Land Occupancy
514-873-2622
Jacqueline Aubé
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Public Safety and MNA for Verchères
418-643-2112
Mathieu Le Blanc
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Education, Recreation and Sport
418-644-0664
Caroline St-Pierre
Communications Directorate Quebec
Department of Municipal Affairs, Regions and Land Occupancy
418-691-2015
