Government of Canada Proud to Contribute to the Modernization of Peribonka Municipal Campground

PÉRIBONKA, QUEBEC--(Marketwire - July 26, 2011) - The Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, today took part in the official inauguration of the new and improved facilities of Camping municipal de Péribonka, an initiative for which the Government of Canada granted $1,034,222 in non-repayable funding to the municipality.

"This project has enabled the Municipality of Péribonka to significantly increase its tourist lodging capacity, which will generate important spinoffs for the local economy. The Government of Canada is proud to support the municipality in its economic diversification efforts," said Minister Lebel.

This Péribonka project is part of the larger socioeconomic development strategy the municipality adopted to position itself advantageously on the local tourism market. Located in the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean Regional County Municipality (RCM) of Maria-Chapdelaine, Péribonka added 34 more sites to its municipal campground, bringing the total number to 98, installed five camp-ready tents, built a pool and erected a new building for restroom and laundry facilities. The project, which necessitated an overall investment of $1,135,000, is expected to help the municipal campground, which currently has a three-star rating, increase its ranking to a four-star facility.

The contribution from the Government of Canada was awarded through Canada Economic Development's Temporary Initiative for the Strengthening of Quebec's Forest Economies (TISQFE).

About the TISQFE

The Temporary Initiative for the Strengthening of Quebec's Forest Economies was brought into force in June 2010 to help communities affected by the forestry crisis diversify their economies in order to ensure their growth and create and maintain employment. The initiative's goal is also to support small and medium-sized businesses in these communities in their efforts to secure their viability and sustainable development.

"The TISQFE is working very well. In fact, just this past July 14 I had the pleasure of announcing the Government of Canada's intention to allocate an additional $20 million in funding to support the Quebec silvicultural sector in 2011 and 2012," the minister added.

This measure is one of several put in place by the Government of Canada in the past 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 $1 billion granted to the Pulp and Paper Green Transformation Program to help enterprises carry out environmentally-friendly projects and the $230 million invested, 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 received 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.

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