Canadian communities flourish when they have safe, welcoming public spaces where people can come together to connect, engage, and participate in recreational programs and activities. By investing in our infrastructure, we not only stimulate economies and create jobs – we build communities that attract people and businesses and make them want to stay.
Today, the Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, and Member of Parliament for Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe, announced total federal contributions of $355,000 for the Aberdeen Cultural Centre and $250,000 for la Fondation de l’école l’Odyssée.
The announcement was made on behalf of the Honourable Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development and Minister responsible for ACOA and the Honourable Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages.
The Province of New Brunswick is also contributing $450,000 to la Fondation de l’école l’Odyssée and $55,000 to the Aberdeen Cultural Centre through the Regional Development Corporation.
The support for the Aberdeen Cultural Centre will help improve the facilities and significantly increase its annual programming. Enhancements will also reduce the centre’s heating costs by 25 per cent. Infrastructure improvements, including the installation of a new ramp, will make the facility more accessible to the public, increase participation in cultural events and generate revenue that will help the cultural centre continue to expand programming and services to the community.
La Fondation de l’école L’Odyssée is building a multi-functional outdoor synthetic field to provide a safe, controlled environment for the many local sports teams in the Greater Moncton community to use during their seasons. Once completed, it will host national sports tournaments, cultural shows and other large-scale events, and the economic spin-offs from participants and spectators will support growth for the entire region.
In March, the Public Policy Forum published a report that confirms that Atlantic Canada’s economy is bustling and the region is poised for exponential growth. Today’s announcement highlights how the Government of Canada is contributing to this momentum – strengthening our communities, creating new opportunities, and setting the stage for a strong, sustainable future.
Quotes
“Atlantic Canada is at a turning point, brimming with new energy and growth. Investing in our shared public spaces helps grow local economies, boosts tourism, allows folks to stay active and gives residents more opportunities to deepen their connection to the people and places that we call home.”
– The Honourable Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development and Minister responsible for ACOA
“The Aberdeen Cultural Centre is a unique creative space that fosters collaboration between artists. It is an integral part of Greater Moncton’s dynamic and accessible spaces, which are essential to Francophone cultural expression in the area. I’m delighted with this improvement project, which will ensure that the centre can continue to fulfill its mission and offer rich and diverse experiences to the community.”
– The Honourable Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages
“Providing modern and accessible infrastructure helps attract visitors to our region and encourages residents to engage with their communities. I am proud that our government is helping to create these community infrastructure projects in the Moncton area, which will contribute to the region’s vitality.”
– The Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, and Member of Parliament for Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe
“Investments in community infrastructure and cultural spaces contribute to the overall well-being of residents. Building vibrant and sustainable communities has been a priority for our government since 2018. I am pleased to be making this important funding announcement for the residents of Moncton and the region.”
– The Honourable Greg Turner, Minister responsible for Opportunities NB
“Thanks to this major investment, the Aberdeen Cultural Centre will reduce its ecological footprint and offer the region’s cultural community a much safer and more functional space, while improving its accessibility, particularly for people with reduced mobility and for production companies who use the centre regularly. More specifically, the replacement of some 50 windows and the installation of a new roof will enable the centre to make significant savings in heating costs. The construction of a new ramp for people with reduced mobility and for the heavy equipment of the productions presented at the centre, as well as the complete restoration of the centre’s main staircase, located on the Botsford Street side of the entrance, are certainly the most important elements in our desire to make the Aberdeen Cultural Centre much safer and more accessible for its users.”
– Annie France Noël, President of the Board of Directors, Aberdeen Cultural Centre
“This partnership is important for the students at École L’Odyssée and for Moncton’s French-speaking community. We’ve waited a long time for this high-quality sports facility and are looking forward to its official opening this autumn.”
– Monique Bourque, Co-President of the project with la Fondation de l’école l’Odyssée
Quick facts
- Federal support for the Aberdeen Cultural Centre was made up of $250,000 from ACOA through the Canada Community Revitalization Fund (CCRF), and $105,000 from the Department of Canadian Heritage’s Community Spaces Fund.
- ACOA support for la Fondation de l’école L’Odyssée was provided through the Canada Community Revitalization Fund.
- The CCRF was launched in June 2021 and ended on March 31, 2023. The fund provided $500 million over two years to Canada’s regional development agencies (RDAs) to invest in shared and inclusive public spaces to make them safer, greener and more accessible.
- The Canada Community Revitalization Fund supported two major streams of activity:
- adapting community spaces and assets to be more accessible and inclusive,
- building or improving community spaces to encourage Canadians to engage in and explore their communities and regions.
- The Community Spaces Fund provides funding to official language minority communities for projects to build new community and cultural spaces, renovate and upgrade infrastructure and multi-purpose spaces in more community centres not attached to educational institutions.
Source : Canada