Source: Développement économique Canada pour les régions du Québec

Foire gourmande de l'Abitibi-Temiscamingue et du Nord-Est ontarien Receives Government of Canada Funding

VILLE-MARIE, QUEBEC--(Marketwire - Aug. 12, 2011) - The Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, announces the awarding of $260,000 in non-repayable funding to the Foire gourmande de l'Abitibi-Témiscamingue et du Nord-Est ontarien.

"The Government of Canada wholeheartedly supports this event celebrating the work of our food artisans and thereby furthering the development of agrifood processing and tourism sectors," commented Minister Lebel.

The Foire gourmande gastronomical fair draws more than 35,000 visitors and brings together some 50 agri-food exhibitors from these two regions bordering Lake Timiskaming, namely, Abitibi-Téminscamingue and Northeastern Ontario. It is a unique opportunity to launch new products, offer tastings of them and field test them.

This funding will support the organization in planning the 2011 and 2012 editions of the gourmet food festival and in its promotional efforts. Indeed, the Foire gourmande has set itself the goal of attracting more out-of-province visitors.

Tourism and agri-food processing, along with mining and forest products processing, are considered promising growth sectors for Abitibi-Témiscamingue. It is therefore in these priority areas that Canada Economic Development has decided to focus its development efforts in the region.

Canada Economic Development has awarded this contribution through its Community Diversification program.

Canada Economic Development is online at www.dec-ced.gc.ca. Subscribe to the Agency's press releases at
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Contact Information:

Francois Belisle
Communications
Canada Economic Development
819-825-3976
francois.belisle@dec-ced.gc.ca

Benoit Fortin
Special Assistant, Communications
Office of the Honourable Denis Lebel
Canada Economic Development
819-923-9209
benoit.fortin@dec-ced.gc.ca