$5.12 Million Canada-Quebec Investment to Benefit Bryson, Isle-aux-Allumettes and Portage-du-Fort

August 19, 2009

Bryson, Quebec, August 19, 2009 – The Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister responsible for the Outaouais and Member of Parliament for Pontiac, along with Charlotte L'Écuyer, Member of the National Assembly (MNA) for Pontiac, on behalf of Laurent Lessard, Minister of Municipal Affairs, Regions and Land Occupancy, are pleased to announce that the municipalities of Bryson, l'Isle-aux-Allumettes and Portage-du-Fort have benefited from a $5.12 million joint federal-provincial investment under the Provincial-Territorial (PT) Base Fund.

This government assistance will be put towards the construction of a water filtration plant in Bryson, as well as underwater research, the implementation of water supply wells and the construction of a reservoir in l'Isle-aux-Allumettes, and then in Portage-du-Fort, once the work has been completed.

“This funding announcement is excellent news for Bryson, l'Isle-aux-Allumettes and Portage-du-Fort. It has permitted important worksites to move ahead, which generated economic activity and created jobs in the region, while providing these three municipalities with modern infrastructure,” declared Minister Cannon. “The Government of Canada is working with Quebec and the other provinces and territories to accelerate up key investments in Canada's infrastructure and get shovels in the ground over the current and next construction seasons, in order to create jobs and stimulate our economy.”

“By participating in these major projects, the Government of Quebec is moving ahead to endow Quebec municipalities with infrastructure that meets our current needs and are focussed on sustainable development. This is an essential element of a modern and rich economy. Through the injection of new capital in the Quebec infrastructure plan, le Plan québécois des infrastructures, the government has accelerated the achievement of numerous infrastructure work in the Quebec territory to improve the well-being of Quebec citizens, create jobs and support a successful economy. The government wants to leave municipalities with a legacy of quality infrastructure, indispensible tools to meet the challenges of the future. I am pleased that the Outaouais region can benefit from the spin-offs of this initiative, another concrete gesture that demonstrates our government's unequivocal commitment for economic growth,” added MNA L'Écuyer.

The total eligible cost to complete these three projects is $6.4 million, of which $2.3 million is required for Bryson, $1.9 million for l'Isle-aux-Allumettes, and $2.2 million for Portage-du-Fort. The joint contribution from the governments of Canada and Quebec was established at $5.12 million, whereas the municipalities of Bryson, l'Isle-aux-Allumettes and Portage-du-Fort will cover the cost differences for their respective projects.

The governments of Canada and Quebec recently signed an agreement to accelerate the $175 million PT Base Fund payment. This amount, which was to have been paid over a seven-year period extending to 2014, will now be available over the next two years to implement 65 municipal and provincial initiatives.

Canada's Economic Action Plan is accelerating and expanding the existing federal investment of $33 billion in infrastructure with almost $12 billion in new stimulus infrastructure funding over two years, from which Quebec will benefit. The Government of Quebec is working closely with the federal government to ensure that these funds will be spent on priority infrastructure projects and initiatives in these communities.

The contribution from the Government of Quebec comes from the Quebec infrastructure plan, le Plan québécois des infrastructures, which will invest $42-million across Quebec over the next five years, predominantly to update, renew and maintain public infrastructure in Quebec.

For more information on investments in infrastructure, please visit www.creatingjobs.gc.ca.

For more information about Canada's Economic Action Plan, please visit www.actionplan.gc.ca.

For more information on the Quebec infrastructure plan, le Plan québécois des infrastructures, please visit infrastructures.gouv.qc.ca/plan-infrastructure/index.asp.