News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 23, 2005

Horizon Achievement Centre Expands With Help from the
Government of Canada


Sydney, NS –– The Honourable Mark Eyking, MP for Sydney-Victoria on behalf of the Honourable Joseph McGuire, Minister for Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation (ECBC) and the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), today announced funding for the Horizon Achievement Centre in Sydney, Nova Scotia.

The Horizon Achievement Centre (HAC) is a non-profit organization that provides employment opportunities and vocational training to persons with intellectual/mental disabilities. There are currently 32 full-time and five
part-time staff employed at the facility serving approximately 150 clients. The centre is funded, in part, by profits from five core business divisions, one of which is the bulk mail preparation service.

Today’s funding will enable the Centre to acquire new equipment for its mail operations. The project will include the acquisition of a new postage meter, laser printer, photocopier, computer equipment, and enhanced telephone capabilities that will help the centre maintain and attract new customers.

“The Government of Canada is pleased to work with the Horizon Achievement Centre in this venture,” says MP Eyking. “Improving the revenue generating capacity of the Centre not only provides training opportunities for clients but it increases the Centre’s ability to provide more training and vocational opportunities.”

The total cost of the project is $80,000. ECBC will provide a
non-repayable contribution totalling $60,000 through ACOA’s Business Development Program.

ECBC 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 BROADCAST USE ONLY:

SYDNEY-VICTORIA MP MARK EYKING TODAY ANNOUNCED $60,000 IN ECBC FUNDING FOR THE HORIZON ACHIEVEMENT CENTRE IN SYDNEY.

HORIZON IS A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION PROVIDING EMPLOYMENT AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING FOR APPROXIMATELY 150 PERSONS WITH INTELLECTUAL/MENTAL DISABILITIES.

THE CENTRE IS FUNDED, IN PART, THROUGH FIVE CORE BUSINESS DIVISIONS, ONE OF WHICH IS THE BULK MAIL PREPARATION SERVICE.

THE FUNDING WILL ENABLE THE CENTRE TO ACQUIRE NEW EQUIPMENT FOR ITS MAIL OPERATIONS.

MARK EYKING SAYS THAT IMPROVING THE CENTRE’S REVENUE GENERATING CAPACITY INCREASES ITS ABILITY TO PROVIDE MORE TRAINING AND VOCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES.

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 Mark Eyking
MP Sydney-Victoria
(902) 567-6275

Carol Pendergast
Executive Director, Horizon Achievement Centre
Tel: (902) 539-8553

D.A. Landry
Communications, ECBC
(902) 564-3617