News Release

For Immediate Release
November 23, 2005

ECBC Pitches in to Help Build Community Centre

Louisbourg, NS –– The town of Louisbourg will receive a helping hand from the Government of Canada in the construction of a new multi-function community centre.

Rodger Cuzner, MP for Cape Breton-Canso, on behalf of the Honourable Joseph McGuire, Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) and Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation (ECBC), is happy to announce Government of Canada funding assistance for the construction of the facility.

The project will be spearheaded by the Louisbourg Volunteer Fire Department and will include meeting facilities, archives, a heritage museum and a community and visitors’ centre. The goal is to capture part of the local tourism traffic and increase the number of community driven events.

MP Rodger Cuzner says the new facility will enable the community to represent local history to visitors and notes the significance of improving infrastructure. “By improving the community’s infrastructure, Louisbourg will be better able to benefit from the thousands of tourists who visit each year,” says Cuzner.

Louisbourg represents an important tourism destination for the Province of Nova Scotia and offers a selection of superior tourist attractions, accommodations, gift shops and restaurants.

The total cost of the project is $1,240,000. The Louisbourg Volunteer Fire Department and other community partners have come together to contribute $385,000. Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation will contribute a non-repayable amount of $765,000 under the Strategic Community Investment Fund.

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:

Valérie Poulin
Director of Communications
Office of the Honourable Joseph McGuire
Minister of Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
(613) 941-7241

Office of Rodger Cuzner
MP Cape Breton-Canso
Tel: (902) 842-9763

Leo Carter
Chief, Louisbourg Volunteer Fire Department
(902) 733-2406

Jennifer Crocker
Communications, ECBC
(902) 564-3917