Total joint contribution of close to $3 million

Val-Racine, Quebec - The Honourable Christian Paradis, federal Minister of Natural Resources and Member of Parliament for Mégantic-L'Érable, and Johanne Gonthier, Member of the National Assembly for Mégantic-Compton, on behalf of Laurent Lessard, Quebec Minister of Municipal Affairs, Regions and Land Occupancy, are pleased to announce a joint financial contribution of $2,973,252 to repair road infrastructure between Val-Racine and Notre-Dame-des-Bois.

With the $524,691 contribution from the parish and the municipality, the project represents a total cost of $3,497,943 and will allow work to be carried out on Chesham Road, Rang des Haricots and Forêt-Enchantée Road.

“By contributing to the improvement of the road infrastructure, our government continues to support the economic future of the region by stimulating the creation of jobs and the implementation of projects which will have a positive impact on the Eastern Townships,” said Minister Paradis. “In this second year of Canada's Economic Action Plan, our government is continuing to contribute to infrastructure projects like those announced today, which will put Canadians to work and establish the foundation for a solid and prosperous economic future in our country."

“The longevity of our infrastructure depends on maintaining and upgrading it with a view to sustainable development. With the Quebec Infrastructure Plan, we are making sure that maintenance of public infrastructure in Quebec will never again be postponed. Within 15 years, Quebec will make up the accumulated shortfall in the maintenance of its public infrastructure,” declared MNA Johanne Gonthier. “Tourism is an important economic sector for the region. With road infrastructure that meets the well-founded expectations of visitors from around the province and elsewhere, the region will strengthen its tourism experience.”

The Government of Canada's $1,486,626 contribution comes from the new $4-billion Infrastructure Stimulus Fund, which is part of Canada's Economic Action Plan announced in the January 2009 Budget. The Government of Canada has earmarked $936 million from the Infrastructure Stimulus Fund for projects in Quebec.
The Government of Quebec's $1,486,626 contribution is being made under the Plan québécois des infrastructures, which was enhanced in January 2009 and now has an envelope of nearly $42 billion for infrastructure renewal in Quebec over the next five years.

The Honourable Christian Paradis, Sonia Cloutier, mayor of Val-Racine, Johanne Gonthier, MNA for Megantic-Compton, Nil Longpré, Tourism commissioner CLD du Granit and Jean-Louis Gobeil, mayor of Notre-Dame-des-Bois.