Government of Canada Lends Financial Support to the Firm Meubles J. Parent (1995) Inc.

SAINT-FÉLIX-DE-VALOIS, QUEBEC--(Marketwire - Nov. 18, 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 that the firm Meubles J. Parent (1995) Inc. has been awarded $69,700 in repayable funding to acquire specialized equipment.

"The Government of Canada is pleased to lend its support to Meubles J. Parent's project because it will help revitalize the Regional County Municipality of Matawinie, whose economy has been hard hit by the forestry crisis," said Minister Lebel.

Meubles J. Parent (1995) Inc. contract manufactures kitchen cabinet doors and bathroom vanities in veneered or solid wood. It should be noted that the secondary and tertiary wood processing sector, in which the firm operates, is considered a priority for the Laurentides region.

Meubles J. Parent's project involves the installation of a new five-piece melamine cabinet door production line. Cabinet and bathroom furniture manufacturers need to follow the market trends in order to retain and grow their client base. Moreover, demand for five-piece melamine (at a 45 degree angle) is steadily growing. Upon completion of its project, the company will be able to offer this product. This funding has been awarded through the Temporary Initiative for the Strengthening of Quebec's Forest Economies (TISQFE).

About the TISQFE

The Temporary Initiative for the Strengthening of Quebec's Forest Economies was brought into force in June 2010 to help communities affected by the forestry crisis diversify their economies in order to ensure their growth and create and maintain employment. The initiative's goal is also to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

This past July 14, the Government of Canada announced its intention to allocate a further $20 million in funding over two years to support the Quebec silvicultural sector for the years 2011 and 2012.

This measure is one of several put in place by the Government of Canada in the past 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 $1 billion granted to the Pulp and Paper Green Transformation Program to help enterprises carry out environmentally-friendly projects and the $230 million invested, 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 received 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.

For more information on Canada's Economic Action Plan, visit www.actionplan.gc.ca.

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