News Release

For immediate release
July 30, 2002

WHARF FACILITIES PRESERVED WITH GOVERNMENT OF CANADA ASSISTANCE 

L’ARDOISE, N.S. – Tourists’ fascination with Nova Scotia’s coastline is the inspiration for a community economic development project in L’Ardoise. The area around an historic harbour and wharf dating back to the early 1700s is being used as the base for the development of community infrastructure used by tourists, recreational boaters and the community. 

The Chapel Cove Wharf Preservation Society is maintaining and developing this central piece of the community’s history with assistance from the Government of Canada. The Society is working to preserve and develop the site as a tourist attraction as well as for community health and recreation use. 

Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation (ECBC) contributed the total project costs of $15,000 through the Fisheries Restructuring Adjustment Measures (FRAM) Program. The funding will be used for materials and supplies. 

"This is the type of community-driven economic development project that the Government of Canada programs were designed to support. Job creation, increased tourism and other economic benefits will be the result of this project,” said Rodger Cuzner, MP for Bras d’Or – Cape Breton, speaking on behalf of Gerry Byrne, Minister of State for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and ECBC.

"The Government of Canada’s support for our efforts to bring economic benefits to the area through this project is vital to our success,” said Emile Boulet, President, Chapel Cove Wharf Preservation Society. “The delighted response from the community and the tourists who use the facilities is the reward for the effort our organization has put into this project over the years.”

Funding for this project was provided for in the February 2000 budget and is therefore built into the existing financial framework.

In June 1998, the Government of Canada announced that $93.8 million would be set aside for the economic development component of the $730 million Fisheries Restructuring and Adjustment Measures (FRAM) in the four Atlantic provinces. The amount available for affected communities in Nova Scotia is $21.3 million. This amount is available over three years for long-term, sustainable economic development initiatives in communities and areas in Nova Scotia affected by the permanent downsizing of the Atlantic groundfishery. On Cape Breton Island, ECBC works in partnership with key regional and community development stakeholders to implement the economic development initiatives of the FRAM program.

Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation offers programs in support of economic development initiatives and is responsible for delivering ACOA's programs on Cape Breton Island and in the Mulgrave area.

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FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONTACT:

Peter A. H. Graham, Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of State for ECBC & ACOA
Tel: (613) 957-9959
Fax: (613) 941-7844

Office of Rodger Cuzner, M.P. 
Bras d’Or-Cape Breton 
Tel: (902) 842-9763
Fax: (902) 842-9025

Mary Ann MacCormick 
ECBC Communications 
Tel: (902) 564-7269
Fax:(902) 564-3825

Emile Boulet, President
The Chapel Cove Preservation Society 
Tel: (902) 587-2105