MONTREAL, July 3, 2024
/CNW/ - Residents of Montreal's
Parc-Extension and Saint-Michel
districts will have access to three new modern, accessible and
environmentally-friendly community centres thanks to an investment
of over $33.7 million from the
federal government.
Announced by Prime Minister Justin
Trudeau and MP Patricia
Lattanzio, these projects will benefit the community by
addressing the lack of community spaces in the targeted
neighbourhoods, helping to foster social inclusion.
More specifically, two new community centres will be built to
carbon-neutral standards, providing residents of Parc-Extension and
Saint-Michel with quality meeting
places that will help strengthen the sense of belonging of many
immigrants and visible minorities in these neighborhoods.
The Parc-Extension Community Centre is a major cross-cutting
project that responds to a community need. This multi-generational
carbon-neutral centre will be a place for meeting, exchanging,
learning and leisure, integrating community resources to strengthen
the neighborhood's social fabric. The building will include a
variety of multi-purpose spaces such as meeting rooms, common
areas, a gym, a community kitchen, offices for local organizations
and a rooftop community garden.
The Parc-Extension Community Centre will help promote inclusion,
accessibility and environmental sustainability, while enhancing the
quality of life for neighborhood residents.
The three-storey Saint-Michel Community House will be home to
numerous local community organizations, serving the needs of
citizens of all ages. The carbon-neutral building will feature,
among other things, an industrial kitchen, as well as a
multifunctional room accessible to both resident organizations and
members of the public wishing to hold activities there.
Today's investment will also provide the community organization
Afrique au féminin with a new home at 805 rue Durocher in
Montreal. Renovations will include
the construction of a third floor, an extension to the north side
of the building, a green roof, new windows, improved insulation,
and the installation of modern mechanical and electrical systems to
ensure occupant comfort. The paved areas will also be transformed
into green spaces.
This new location will enable the organization to serve the
residential, low-income population of northern Parc-Extension,
which lacks community resources.
The Green and Inclusive Community Buildings (GICB) program aims
to improve the places Canadians work, learn, play, live and come
together by cutting pollution, reducing costs, and supporting
thousands of good jobs.
Through green and other upgrades to existing public community
buildings and new builds in underserved communities, the GICB
program helps ensure community facilities are inclusive,
accessible, and have a long service life, while also helping
Canada move towards its net-zero
objectives by 2050.
Quotes
"Community buildings are at the heart of Canadian cities and
municipalities. Today's funding will go towards the construction
and renovation of three modern, energy-efficient community centres,
where residents of the Parc-Extension and Saint-Michel neighbourhoods will be able to
come together to share, entertain and enjoy enriching experiences.
The construction of new, environmentally-friendly buildings will
help Canadians create healthier communities while contributing to a
greener, more sustainable future for generations to come."
The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing,
Infrastructure and Communities
"Community infrastructure is a key component of communities
across the country. The construction of a new
environmentally-friendly community centre in Saint-Michel is great news for residents and
will help make the neighbourhood more vibrant and better connected.
Our government will continue to build a greener, more inclusive
future for generations to come."
Patricia Lattanzio, Member of
Parliament for Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel
"The Parc-Extension Community Centre is not just a financial
investment, it's a powerful symbol of support and development for
our neighborhood. This project is the fruit of unfailing
consultation and determination with local stakeholders. It reflects
our commitment to creating an inclusive and accessible space for
all residents. This initiative strengthens social ties and promotes
inclusion by valuing diversity, the true wealth of our community.
This is a victory for the entire Parc-Extension community.
Together, we've proven that great things can be achieved through
unity."
Salwa Ben Belgacem, Executive
Director of the Table de Quartier de Parc-Extension
"The construction of the Saint-Michel Community House marks a
crucial step towards a sustainable and inclusive future for our
neighborhood. This green, innovative building will become a true
living environment where citizens of all ages and backgrounds can
access essential resources and forge strong ties for generations to
come. Together, we're creating a space that reflects the values of
diversity, solidarity and the environment at the heart of
Saint-Michel."
Isabelle Tremblay, Chairman of
the Board for Saint-Michel,
Quartier de l'innovation sociale
"Afrique au féminin expresses its deep gratitude to the federal
Green and Inclusive Community Buildings program and their
unconditional financial support for our mission. It goes without
saying that situations of exclusion and poverty in Montreal and elsewhere continue to be
exacerbated by the challenges we face, despite the fact that
Afrique au féminin plays a crucial role in demonstrating its
importance and its deep roots with the citizens of Parc-Extension
in order to act in solidarity to improve and deliver its
services."
Rose Ndjel, Executive Director of Afrique au féminin
Quick Facts
- The federal government is investing $33,769,336 in these projects through the Green
and Inclusive Community Buildings (GICB) program:
- Parc-Extension Recreation and Community Centre: $18,311,978
- Saint-Michel Community Centre: $11,695,104
- Renovation of new premises for Afrique au féminin organization:
$3,762,254
- The organization Afrique au féminin is contributing
$1,586,000. For the time being, La
Table de quartier Parc-Extension and Saint-Michel, Quartier de l'innovation sociale
are contributing $16,622,157 and
$10,400,000 respectively.
- The GICB program was created in support of Canada's Strengthened Climate Plan: A Healthy
Environment and a Healthy Economy. It is supporting the Plan's
first pillar by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, increasing
energy efficiency, and helping develop higher resilience to climate
change.
- The program launched in 2021 with an initial investment of
$1.5 billion over five years towards
green and accessible retrofits, repairs or upgrades.
- Budget 2024 announced an additional $500
million to support more projects through GICB until
2029.
- At least 10% of funding is allocated to projects serving First
Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities, including Indigenous
populations in urban centres.
Associated Links
Green and Inclusive Community Buildings
https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/gicb-bcvi/index-eng.html
Strengthened Climate Plan
https://www.canada.ca/en/services/environment/weather/climatechange/climate-plan/climate-plan-overview.html
Federal infrastructure investments in Quebec
https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/prog-proj-qc-eng.html
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SOURCE Infrastructure Canada