Canada and Ontario Invest Over $1.2 million in Six Community and Recreation Projects in Central and Northern Ontario

SUDBURY — Across the country, Canadians are feeling the impacts of COVID-19 on their families, their livelihoods, and their way of life. Together, the governments of Canada and Ontario are taking decisive action to support families, businesses and communities to ensure community infrastructure is safe and reliable, while looking ahead to see what more can be done in these unprecedented times.

Today, Paul Lefebvre, Member of Parliament for Sudbury, on behalf of the Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities; the Honourable Victor Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation, and Trade, and Member of Provincial Parliament for Nipissing, on behalf of the Honourable Kinga Surma, Ontario’s Minister of Infrastructure; and Helen Francis, President and CEO of the YMCA of Northeastern Ontario, announced joint funding for six community and recreation infrastructure projects in Central and Northern Ontario.

The Government of Canada is investing $707,915 in these projects through the Community, Culture, and Recreation Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program. The Government of Ontario is providing $589,870 for these projects, while recipients are contributing a combined $456,477 to their respective projects.

Among the projects announced are renovations and renewals of the elevators at the fitness and recreation centres in the YMCA of Northeastern Ontario, replacing the existing two elevators at the Sudbury location, and the one-person lift at the North Bay location, with a full-service elevator. The new elevator at the North Bay location will accommodate more than one person at a time and will be modernized to meet the participants’ needs. Once complete, this project will help maintain and increase community access to the community programs and services offered at the YMCA and ensure the participants’ safety and well-being.

In the Town of The Blue Mountains, funding will support renovations of the Craigleith Heritage Depot. This project includes updating the roof, siding, accessible doors, and fenestrations. Other updates include work to improve air flow, the interior climate, and air quality. Once renovations are complete, the Craigleith Heritage Depot will be more accessible, will have an extended life cycle, and will safeguard users’ safety for years to come.

Additional investments in other recreation infrastructure projects across the region include the replacement of the Chesley Community Centre’s roof in the Municipality of Arran-Elderslie, which will allow residents to enjoy the facility for years to come. Also included in today’s announcement is the Snowmobile and Multiuse Bridge Replacement project in the Township of Sioux Narrows-Nestor Falls, which will improve access to local services for Indigenous communities and help promote tourism in Northwestern Ontario.

All orders of government continue to work together for the people of Ontario to make strategic infrastructure investments in communities across the province when needed most.

Quick Facts

• Through the Investing in Canada Plan, the federal government is investing more than $180 billion over 12 years in public transit projects, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, trade and transportation routes, and Canada’s rural and northern communities.
• Ontario is investing $10.2 billion under the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program to improve public transit; community, culture and recreation; green, and rural and northern community and other priority infrastructure.
• Across Ontario, the Government of Canada has invested more than $14.4 billion in over 3,900 infrastructure projects since 2015 under the Investing in Canada Plan.
• Across Canada, since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government of Canada has contributed $9.7 billion to 3,500 infrastructure projects.
• Across the province and over the next 10 years, Ontario is investing approximately $320 million and Canada is investing approximately $407 million under the Community, Culture and Recreation Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program. This stream supports the construction of new facilities and upgrades to existing facilities that improve community infrastructure (community centres, libraries), recreational venues (arenas, recreational spaces) and cultural spaces (theatres, museums).

Quotes

“Ensuring residents have access to quality recreation infrastructure is vital for community well-being and development. Today’s investment in six recreation and community infrastructure projects in Central and Northern Ontario will provide residents with access to modern, reliable, and accessible recreational facilities where they can connect and stay fit and healthy for years to come. Canada’s infrastructure plan invests in thousands of projects, creates jobs across the country, and builds cleaner, more inclusive communities.”

– Paul Lefebvre
Member of Parliament for Sudbury, on behalf of the Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities

“Local community infrastructure is key to the vitality of our communities in northeastern Ontario and across the province. The accessibility upgrades for the YMCA in North Bay will ensure that this remains a truly inclusive community space for everyone to enjoy. Through our provincial investment of over $231,000, we are making a difference and supporting valuable services provided by the YMCA. Today’s announcement for Nipissing and our investment in five other infrastructure projects across the province demonstrates our government’s continued commitment to supporting local priorities.”

– The Honourable Victor Fedeli
Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation, and Trade, and Member of Provincial Parliament for Nipissing, on behalf of the Honourable Kinga Surma, Ontario’s Minister of Infrastructure

“We are tremendously grateful for the Infrastructure funding which will continue to allow our Centres for Community in Sudbury and North Bay to have safe and operable elevators, supporting our ability to be accessible for all.”

– Helen Francis
President and CEO of the YMCA of Northeastern Ontario

Additional Resources

• Canada and Ontario Invest Over $1.2 million in Six Community and Recreation Projects in Central and Northern Ontario
• Supportive quotations on community and recreation projects
• Federal infrastructure investments in Ontario
• Investing in Canada Plan Project Map
• Ontario Builds Project Map

Media Contacts

Emelyana Titarenko
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities
873-355-9576
emelyana.titarenko@canada.ca

Hayley Cooper
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Kinga Surma, Ontario’s Minister of Infrastructure
437-233-3224
hayley.cooper@ontario.ca

Sofia Sousa-Dias
Communications Branch
Ontario Ministry of Infrastructure
437-991-3391
sofia.sousa-dias@ontario.ca

Nicole Beattie
VP Philanthropy, Marketing and Communications
YMCA of Northeastern Ontario
705-493-2260
nicole.beattie@ymcaneo.ca

Media Relations
Infrastructure Canada
613-960-9251
Toll free: 1-877-250-7154
infc.media.infc@canada.ca

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