Canada and British Columbia join with Lubavitch BC to renovate Centre

Upgrades will create jobs, enhance infrastructure

• Backgrounder

Vancouver, British Columbia, October 2, 2009 – The Honourable Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, together with the Honourable Moira Stilwell, Minister of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development and the Member of the Legislative Assembly for Vancouver—Langara, and Rabbi Yitzchak Wineberg today announced joint funding of up to $1.9 million for Lubavitch of British Columbia, an important Jewish community services organization in Vancouver.

“Under the leadership of Prime Minister Stephen Harper, the Government of Canada is proud to invest in the renovation of the Lubavitch Centre through Canada’s Economic Action Plan,” said Minister Kenney. “This expansion project will create jobs today and benefit Vancouver’s Jewish community for years to come.”

“This is a great example of what can be achieved through strong relationships between our provincial and federal governments and community groups like Lubavitch of British Columbia, which has serviced this province for 35 years,” said MLA Stilwell. “As a focal point and gathering place for residents and charity groups, the renovated community centre will be a vital addition to our neighbourhood.”

In thanking the Governments of Canada and British Columbia for their support, Rabbi Yitzchak Wineberg, Founder and Director of Lubavitch B.C., said “the life and growth of a Jewish community is dependent on its appreciation of its history, culture and values. The Lubavitch movement of BC provides a wide array of intergenerational educational, social, and community services. Lubavitch touches and enriches the lives of young and old; professionals and laypersons; newly arrived immigrants, and the affiliated and non-affiliated alike.”

The Government of Canada will provide Lubavitch with $633,333 from the Infrastructure Stimulus Fund to make important upgrades to the organization’s infrastructure. The Province of British Columbia and Lubavitch of British Columbia will each invest an identical amount. The funding will be used to renovate the community centre, including the multi-purpose room, library, dining room, kitchen and lobby.

This announcement builds on almost $719 million in infrastructure projects announced last week for British Columbia.

The projects are funded under the Province’s three-year, $14-billion capital infrastructure program, which will help build vital public infrastructure in every region of B.C.

The new federal $4-billion Infrastructure Stimulus Fund provides funding to construction-ready infrastructure rehabilitation projects that will be built during 2009, 2010 construction seasons.

For more information on the Economic Action Plan, please visit: www.actionplan.gc.ca.

Contacts:

Alykhan Velshi
Director of Communications
Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism
613-954-1064

Chris Day
Press Secretary
Office of Canada’s Transport and Infrastructure Minister
613-991-0700

Infrastructure Canada
613-948-1148

Sheldon Johnson
Communications Officer
BC Government Caucus
250-387-8589

Backgrounder
INFRASTRUCTURE STIMULUS TO RENOVATE LUBAVITCH OF BRITISH COLUMBIA

The Government of Canada will provide Lubavitch of British Columbia with $633,300 from the Infrastructure Stimulus Fund to make important renovations to Lubavitch’s community centre. The Province of British Columbia and Lubavitch of British Columbia will invest an identical amount.

Lubavitch has been serving British Columbia for the last 35 years. Community services include family counseling, crisis intervention, immigrant assistance, teen activities, cultural retreats, and holiday awareness campaigns. This funding will be used to renovate the community centre, including the multi-purpose room, library, dining room, kitchen and lobby.

Among the results expected for this project for the neighbourhood and community:

• improving the multi-purpose room so that it can be used by charities and other organizations
• increasing the availability of multi-cultural speakers and lecturers; and
• benefitting the culture and heritage of the community through its scholarly library.

The federal financing will come from the Infrastructure Stimulus Fund. Federal funding is conditional on all projects meeting all federal program and environmental requirements.

The Government of Canada introduced the Infrastructure Stimulus Fund as part of Canada’s Economic Action Plan, to quickly inject funds into community infrastructure projects that can be completed in the 2009 and 2010 construction seasons.