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Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo receives federal support for recreational infrastructure
Today, Brian Jean, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities and Member of Parliament for Fort McMurray-Athabasca, on behalf of the Honourable Lynne Yelich, Minister of State for Western Economic Diversification, announced one of the first projects under the Government of Canada’s Recreational Infrastructure Canada (RInC) program in Alberta.
“The Government of Canada, through Canada’s Economic Action Plan, is taking steps to reduce the effects of the economic slowdown,
” said MP Jean. “The Recreational Infrastructure Canada (RInC) program is providing timely, targeted stimulus to the economy and helping reduce the impacts of the global recession, while at the same time improving the quality of life of Northern Albertans.
”
The project will erect portable roof structures over four rural outdoor rinks in Anzac, Conklin, Janvier and Saprae Creek. With this enhancement to local recreational facilities, a significant increase in usage is expected by youth and aboriginal groups in the surrounding areas. Adding roof structures will also help reduce the maintenance costs of the rinks for the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo.
“On behalf of the Municipality of Wood Buffalo and all its citizens, I would like to thank the Government of Canada for helping to enrich our rural communities with this generous grant through the RInC program,
” said Stephen Lieberman, Community Services Department for the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo.
Federal funding of $1 million is being provided by Western Economic Diversification Canada toward this project under the Recreational Infrastructure Canada (RInC) program.
The Recreational Infrastructure Canada (RInC) program, is part of Canada’s Economic Action Plan. RInC will invest $500 million in recreational facilities across Canada over a two-year period. It will provide a temporary economic stimulus that will help reduce the impacts of the global recession while renewing, upgrading and expanding recreational infrastructure in Canadian communities.
Western Economic Diversification Canada works with the provinces, industry associations and communities to promote the development and diversification of the western economy, coordinates federal economic activities in the West and represents the interests of western Canadians in national decision making.
For more information on the Recreational Infrastructure Canada program in the West, please visit: http://www.wd-deo.gc.ca/.
For information on Canada’s Economic Action Plan, please visit http://www.actionplan.gc.ca/.
For additional information, contact:
Donna Kinley
Regional Manager, Communications & Corp Liaison
Western Economic Diversification Canada
Edmonton, Alberta
Tel: (780) 495-6892
Cell: (780) 991-7432
Stephen Lieberman (HLT)
Parkland Design & Development Technician
Community Services Department
Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo
Tel: (780) 799-8110
WD Toll-Free Number:1-888-338-WEST (9378)
Teletypewriter (TTY): 1-877-303-3388
WD Website: www.wd-deo.gc.ca.
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Backgrounder
Recreational Infrastructure Canada Program
The Recreational Infrastructure Canada (RInC) program provides $500 million nationally for projects to rehabilitate recreational facilities across Canada that can be completed by March 31, 2011.
Through RInC, the Government of Canada has committed to supporting upgrades and repairs to existing recreational assets.
The program is designed to provide a timely, targeted stimulus to the economy, and to help mitigate the impacts of the global economic recession by increasing the total amount of construction activity related to recreational infrastructure. Through the rehabilitation of recreational infrastructure, this program also encourages participation in physical activity and community building.
The initial RInC allocation for Western Canada, to be delivered by Western Economic Diversification Canada, is almost $54 million. The remaining funding, over the next two years, will be allocated based on the number of applications submitted to the Department.
Program Eligibility
Eligible applicants:
- Municipal and local governments, agencies, and provincial entities that provide municipal-type services to communities;
- Not-for-profit entity;
- First Nation governments, Band or Tribal Councils, or their legally-designated representatives.
Eligible Projects:
- Arenas
- Gymnasia
- Swimming pools
- Sports fields
- Tennis, basketball, volleyball or other sport-specific courts;
- Parks, fitness trails, and bike paths;
- Other multi-purpose facilities that have physical recreation activity as the primary rationale.
Eligible projects must also:
- Fall under one of the above eligible categories;
- Normally be for the rehabilitation or repair of existing infrastructure, including new construction that is either adding to or replacing existing recreational infrastructure assets or capacity;
- Begin and materially conclude construction before March 31, 2011; and,
- Not have otherwise occurred, as proposed, without support from the RInC program, i.e. be incremental.
Application
Projects must meet the mandatory requirements as outlined in program eligibility section. Furthermore, projects will be recommended and approved on the basis of merit. The application form is available online at
Project Selection
In addition to meeting the eligibility requirements described above, projects will be assessed on:
- construction-readiness;
- planned completion date;
- incrementality; and,
- the extent to which other funding is leveraged.
Depending on the volume of applications received, other criteria may be applied.
For more information, please contact:
WD Toll-Free Number: 1-888-338-WEST (9378)
Teletypewriter (TTY): 1-877-303-3388
Website: http://www.wd-deo.gc.ca/
For further information, please visit: http://www.wd-deo.gc.ca/eng/11264.asp
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