Government of Canada Grants $354,000 in Funding for Startup of Glamping Parc Riviere Metabetchouane Lodging Complex

DESBIENS, QUEBEC--(Marketwire - Jan. 26, 2011) - The Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of State for Canada Economic Development, today announced the awarding of $354,000 in repayable funding through the Temporary Initiative for the Strengthening of Quebec's Forest Economies (TISQFE) for the startup of a camp-ready lodging complex featuring traditional accommodations like yurts and teepees in an atmosphere of comfort and environmental respect.

"It is precisely to support promising projects like Glamping Parc Rivière Métabetchouane that the Government of Canada introduced its Temporary Initiative for the Strengthening of Quebec's Forest Economies. This new complex will not only increase the tourism lodging supply in the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean region, it will also generate important economic spinoffs for the community of Desbiens," explained the Minister of State.

The new complex will include 19 separate, self-contained and fully equipped and furnished lodging units designed in accordance with the principles of sustainable development. Campers will also be offered a variety of regional excursions.

Glamping, a term combining the concepts of glamour and camping, is a new high-end outdoor tourism product that has been gaining in popularity among tourists, particularly from abroad. The Glamping Parc Rivière Métabetchouane complex therefore comes in response to growing demand for luxury accommodation. "In its first phase, this project will bring about the investment of $1,206,000 and the creation of four new jobs in the area, and will also encourage tourists visiting Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean to extend their stay in the region," Mr. Lebel added.

About the TISQFE

Brought into force last June, the TISQFE was established to help communities affected by the forestry crisis diversify their economies in order to secure their development and create and maintain employment. The measure's aim is also to support the viability and sustainable growth of the small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in these communities.

"The Temporary Initiative for the Strengthening of Quebec's Forest Economies is working very well. I am delighted that we are well on our way to reaching our goal of investing $50 million in Quebec in the first year of this initiative," the Minister of State concluded.

This measure is one of many put in place by the Government of Canada in recent months to counteract the effects of the forest crisis. Others include, for example, the Community Adjustment Fund, with its $1 billion budget over two years to mitigate the impacts of the crisis, the Pulp and Paper Green Transformation Program, toward which $1 billion has been granted to the help enterprises carry out environmentally-friendly projects, and the investment of $230 million in collaboration with the Government of Quebec for silvicultural work and the restoration of bridges and culverts on multi-use forest roads. Workers have also benefited from their fair share of support, with the Government of Canada introducing some of the most generous measures in history to help them through the economic crisis.

Canada Economic Development is online at www.dec-ced.gc.ca. Subscribe to the Agency's press releases at
http://www.dec-ced.gc.ca/eng/media-room/mailing-list/list.html to keep up with the latest news.