Federal government provides $2.4M for francophone organizations
Construction is well underway on the Place des Arts in downtown Sudbury, but like many construction projects during the pandemic, it has had its share of setbacks.
“There was a bit of delays with the COVID," said Leo Therrien, executive director of Place des Arts. "There was a provincial shutdown that occurred last year and then certainly the delivery of equipment and security issues that we have in downtown Sudbury.”
That’s why the federal government is stepping in to provide $1 million for the project.
“It’s important that we continue these investments,” Sudbury MP Paul Lefebvre said at a news conference Thursday.
"During the pandemic, we invested a lot here in Canada and certainly in northern Ontario, but as we move forward from the pandemic -- still having our eye on the virus -- we still got to continue to invest.
"Creating these jobs, these opportunities, is key and certainly when we already had projects ongoing that were hit hard by the pandemic, we can’t back off now, Lefebvre added.
Place des Arts was just one of the organizations that received funding from the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario (FedNor) on Thursday.
Other groups sharing $2.4 million include the Conseil de la Coopération, Voilà Community Help, as well as the Conseil scolaire public du Grand Nord de l’Ontario.
The projects receiving funding are expected to support more than 52 businesses, create or maintain up to 149 jobs, and maximize opportunities for development and growth in northern Ontario.
“There’s an envelope that we fought hard to increase," Lefebvre said. "We actually doubled it over the last six years to continue to investing. If we’re really serious about having a bilingual country, we need to invest in the infrastructure for those communities across the country and that’s what were announcing today -- Place des Arts here in Sudbury, French River and Thunder Bay.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Rainfall warnings of up to 80 mm among weather alerts in effect for 6 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres and other alerts have been issued for six Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Bus plunges off a bridge in South Africa, killing 45 people. An 8-year-old child is only survivor
A bus carrying worshippers headed to an Easter festival plunged off a bridge on a mountain pass and burst into flames in South Africa on Thursday, killing at least 45 people, authorities said.
Calgary bridges remain closed due to ongoing police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.