Government of Canada Supports Domaine Le Cageot

JONQUIÈRE, QUEBEC--(Marketwire - July 10, 2012) - The Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, announces that Domaine Le Cageot has been granted financial assistance from the Government of Canada to expand and upgrade its facilities.

"By lending its financial support to Domaine Le Cageot, the Government of Canada is helping to extend the reach and reputation of the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region and stimulate its economy, which will benefit from the spinoffs generated by the presence of foreign tourists," said Minister Lebel.

Initiated in 2002, the small vineyard Domaine Le Cageot is the first producer of artisanal alcoholic beverages made from berries in Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean. In addition to two wine aperitifs, a wine, liqueurs, and the world's first sparkling blueberry wine, this family business also offers fine products, including wine lees, vinaigrettes, jams, jellies, syrups and honey. In order to better meet the growing demand for terroir products, Domaine Le Cageot needs to renovate its facilities. This upgrading will enable the enterprise to add wine tourism to the range of tourist experiences to be had in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean area.

About the Temporary Initiative for the Strengthening of Quebec's Forest Economies (TISQFE)

This $97,538 in repayable funding has been awarded under Canada Economic Development's Temporary Initiative for the Strengthening of Quebec's Forest Economies (TISQFE). Domaine Le Cageot will use these funds to enlarge the reception and processing buildings, acquire strategic equipment and set up outdoor facilities for tourists.

The TISQFE 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 secondary and tertiary wood processing projects in these communities.

This measure is one of several put in place by the Government of Canada to counteract the effects of the forest crisis. Others include the Community Adjustment Fund, with its $1-billion budget over two years to mitigate the impact 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 $238 million invested, in collaboration with the Government of Quebec, for silvicultural work and the maintenance of multi-use forest roads. Workers have also received their fair share of support, with the Government of Canada introducing numerous measures to help them through the global economic crisis.

To learn more about this company, visit www.domainelecageot.com

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