Feb 25 2013
Ottawa residents and visitors will soon experience a bigger and better La Nouvelle Scène. Royal Galipeau, Member of Parliament for Ottawa-Orléans and the Honourable Madeleine Meilleur, Ontario Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs were on hand today to participate in the ceremonial start of construction and reaffirm support for the initiative.
La Nouvelle Scène is a francophone theatre formed in 1999 by four local theatre companies who combined efforts to establish a permanent home for their productions. A joint investment by the governments of Canada and Ontario will expand the theatre by over 3,400 square feet and renovate the existing space to provide a better visitor experience.
"The Government of Canada is investing in this initiative to create local jobs and promote our rich cultural heritage," said Royal Galipeau, Member of Parliament for Ottawa-Orléans. "La Nouvelle Scène plays an important role in sharing Francophone arts and culture in the community. Our investment will help the theatre grow and showcase great local talent for years to come."
"It is with pleasure that the new Ontario government supports La Nouvelle Scène in its renovation and expansion plans," said Madeleine Meilleur, Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs. "As a key player in Franco-Ontarian life, La Nouvelle Scène is more than just a theatre. It is a place to both meet and create, reinforcing the social identity of the francophone community of Ottawa".
"For over a decade, La Nouvelle Scène has been offering theatre and musical experiences that are bold and contemporary, which have contributed to the progress of artistic practice in the country. We are pleased with this joint federal-provincial initiative because it will allow us to continue to offer high quality, professional shows in French for our spectators of all ages, youth and adults, in modern facilities," said Albert Gabbay, President of La Nouvelle Scène.
La Nouvelle Scène is receiving a joint Canada-Ontario investment of up to $5,460,800. This is one of 44 initiatives in Ontario receiving funding through the Provincial-Territorial Base Fund, for which the Government of Canada is providing $175 million. Ontario is contributing $173 million to these initiatives.
Canada's Economic Action Plan provides new opportunities for growth, job creation and long-term prosperity. Strengthening infrastructure across the country is an important part of this plan. Thanks to the Government of Canada's leadership and our strong economic and financial fundamentals, the Canadian economy has recovered from the global recession better than most other industrialized countries. Canada has been a leader among G-7 countries throughout the recovery with more than 900,000 net new jobs created since July 2009.
These investments also support Building Together, the Government of Ontario's long-term infrastructure plan to repair, rebuild and renew the province's infrastructure, including roads and highways, bridges, public transit, schools and postsecondary institutions, hospitals, courthouses, and cultural facilities. Since 2003, Ontario has invested approximately $75 billion in infrastructure, creating or preserving close to 100,000 jobs, on average, each year. Building modern, efficient infrastructure makes Ontario's economy more productive and improves quality of life, now and in the future.
For additional information about federal investments in infrastructure and to stay up-to-date with Web feeds, visit Infrastructure Canada's web site.