NEWS RELEASE 

For  Immediate Release

THUNDER BAY, ON: Lac des Mille Lacs First Nation (LDMLFN) Chief and Council together with the Honourable Patricia A. Hajdu, Minister of Status of Women, and the Honourable Michael Gravelle, Ontario Minister of Northern Development and Mines, announced that Lac des Mille Lacs First Nation will receive $531, 234 in infrastructure funding at a news conference held today in Thunder Bay, ON. The funding is for a new solar-powered electric micro-grid that will reduce the First Nation’s reliance on diesel and help lower greenhouse gas emissions. It is one of 13 local infrastructure projects in communities across Ontario to receive a share of $10 million in joint funding from the Governments of Canada and Ontario through the Small Communities Fund.

“We are most appreciative of our project being approved from the Canada-Ontario Small Communities Fund,” said Councillor Tracy Morrison (on behalf of Chief Whitecloud). “This project will benefit the community economically and environmentally in that it will provide an integrated solution to the existing infrastructure in our community. This will greatly reduce the dependency on diesel generation and the local grid for power.”

The funding announced today by Minister Hajdu, on behalf of the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, the Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, will help address local priorities in 13 communities by supporting infrastructure projects pertaining to green energy, waste management, drinking water and broadband.

“Green infrastructure such as clean drinking water infrastructure, renewable energy and waste management infrastructure, as well as connectivity and broadband infrastructure are critical to providing sustainable, livable communities,” stated Minister Hajdu.

“We are committed to maintain, restore and build public infrastructure for the 21st century. The Government of Canada is proud to invest in these 13 infrastructure projects, they will have a positive and lasting impact on the quality of life for the people in these communities.” “Investing in infrastructure is absolutely critical to promoting long-term, sustainable economic growth in Ontario’s northern communities,” added Minister Gravelle.

“Thanks to joint funding from the Governments of Canada and Ontario, 13 communities can undertake important work to improve local drinking water, waste management and other critical infrastructure.” Through the Small Communities Fund, the governments of Canada and Ontario are working in partnership to provide funding for priority public infrastructure projects that deliver on local needs in communities across the province that have fewer than 100,000 residents.

***

Backgrounder

The governments of Canada and Ontario are announcing funding for 13 projects in communities across the province under the New Building Canada Plan’s Small Communities Fund (SCF). This is in addition to the 78 projects already identified under the SCF in Ontario.

 The Governments of Canada and Ontario each committed over $5 million for the 13 projects, which have a total eligible cost of more than $15 million. Recipient communities will be responsible for all remaining project costs. So far, the vast majority of the projects approved under this Fund are in communities with a population of less than 25,000.

 The projects are as follows:

For more information on the individual projects, please direct your questions to the recipient listed above.

For more information on the Small Communities Fund, please visit: http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/sc-cp-eng.html.