Temporary Initiative for the Strengthening of Quebec's Forest Economies: Government of Canada Allocates More Than $700,000 Toward Economic Recovery of Lebel-sur-Quevillon

LEBEL-SUR-QUÉVILLON, QUEBEC--(Marketwire - Jan. 24, 2011) - The Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of State for Canada Economic Development, today announced the awarding of $706,923 in non-repayable funding to the Comité de survie de l'usine de Lebel-sur-Quévillon. Granted through the Temporary Initiative for the Strengthening of Quebec's Forest Economies (TISQFE), this financial assistance will serve to build the industrial sector in Lebel-sur-Quévillon. 

"Today's announcement illustrates the Government of Canada's determination to support organizations that, like this committee, are helping to create jobs and stimulate regional economic growth through their proposed recovery plans," explained Minister of State Lebel.

The Comité de survie de l'usine de Lebel-sur-Quévillon will use this financial contribution from Canada Economic Development to set up an industrial forestry complex with the help of the consultants and direct sellers it intends to hire. This plan, which capitalizes on the region's traditional strong points while promoting the more efficient use of local resources, has enabled the committee to undertake a strategic shift. As such, projects centering on secondary and tertiary wood processing, renewable energy and forest biomass by-products will be given particular emphasis within this economic diversification strategy.

About the TISQFE

Brought into force last June, the Temporary Initiative for the Strengthening of Quebec's Forest Economies was established to help communities affected by the forestry crisis diversify their economies in order to secure their development and create and maintain employment. The measure's aim is also to support the viability and sustainable growth of the small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in these communities.

"The TISQFE is working very well. I am delighted that we are well on our way to reaching our goal of investing $50 million in Quebec in the first year of this initiative," the Minister of State added.

This measure is one of many put in place by the Government of Canada in recent months to counteract the effects of the forest crisis. Others include, for example, the Community Adjustment Fund, with its $1 billion budget over two years to mitigate the impacts of the crisis, the Pulp and Paper Green Transformation Program, toward which $1 billion has been granted to help enterprises carry out environmentally-friendly projects, and the investment of $230 million in collaboration with the Government of Quebec for silvicultural work and the restoration of bridges and culverts on multi-use forest roads. Workers have also benefited from their fair share of support, with the Government of Canada introducing some of the most generous measures in history to help them through the economic crisis.

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