“Our government’s top priority is job creation, economic growth, and long-term prosperity,” said MP Kerr. “The agri-food industry is a key component of Nova Scotia’s economy; the Government of Canada’s investment will help ensure that it is well equipped for the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century.”

The smallest of four dairies in Nova Scotia, Cook’s Dairy Farm Limited is a family-run business which employees thirty full-time employees. It began operations in 1928 and processes 3 million liters of fluid milk each year.

The Government of Canada, through ACOA, provides a repayable investment of $301,876 to support the company’s upgrading of processing facilities. These new facilities include a new wastewater treatment system, loading facility and milk storage tank which meet the Canada Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) requirements.

“These upgrades are essential for our business,” said Don Cook, CEO of Cook’s Dairy Farm Limited. “Rural-based industries like ours are learning to find innovative solutions to remain competitive in today’s world.”

Greg Kerr, Member of Parliament for West Nova made the announcement today on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development, and the Honourable Alice Wong, Minister of State (Seniors).

“Our government recognizes the diversity of skills, knowledge and experience that seniors contribute to our society and the economy,” said Mr. Kerr. “Through initiatives such as the New Horizons for Seniors Program, we are helping to ensure that seniors maintain a high quality of life and continue as active, participating members of their communities.”

The Port Royal Legion in Annapolis Royal will receive $15,400 for its project to replace flooring and a heating system to enable year round activities for seniors.

Since its beginning, the New Horizons for Seniors Program has funded more than 10,400 projects in hundreds of communities across Canada. This year, the Government of Canada will provide more than $35.6 million in funding for almost 2,000 community projects.

Greg Kerr, Member of Parliament for West Nova made the announcement today on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development, and the Honourable Alice Wong, Minister of State (Seniors).

“Our government recognizes the diversity of skills, knowledge and experience that seniors contribute to our society and the economy,” said Mr.Kerr. “Through initiatives such as the New Horizons for Seniors Program, we are helping to ensure that seniors maintain a high quality of life and continue as active, participating members of their communities.”

The Oakdene Centre in Bear River will receive $15,577 for its project to repair roofing and replace doors to be able to continue providing activities for seniors.

Since its beginning, the New Horizons for Seniors Program has funded more than 10,400 projects in hundreds of communities across Canada. This year, the Government of Canada will provide more than $35.6 million in funding for almost 2,000 community projects.

The funding will assist the Festival acadien de Clare to showcase the rich cultural heritage of the acadien community through the events planned during the festival from July 28- August 15, 2012. The Festival acadien de Clare offers varied programming, including concerts by Acadians, Francophones, and international performers as well as parades, craft shows and fireworks.

Funding for the Société acadienne de Clare will assist in a project to help youth compose and interpret French music for young people in the area. The first part of the project is for a group of local youth to write record and present their music. The second part of the project will be a music camp for local youth to experience the arts and present on stage during the Festival acadien de Clare.

“I am honoured to see the Government of Canada continue to support the vibrant culture in the Francophone and Acadian community of Baie Sainte-Marie,” said Mr. Kerr. “The Festival acadien de Clare and the project through Société acadienne de Clare will continue to engage the local community and attract tourism to the area.”

“The Board of Directors and the members of the Festival acadien de Clare are very pleased for the ongoing support provided by the Federal Government and our Member of Parliament Greg Kerr in our ongoing efforts to help preserve and promote our Acadian language and culture,” said Ghislaine Comeau, President of the Festival acadien de Clare.

“La Société acadienne de Clare appreciates the federal government’s continued support in our efforts to help develop our Acadian and Francophone community, said Diane Besner, President of the Société.”
The Government of Canada has provided funding of $25,000 to Festival acadien de Clare through the Canada Arts Presentation Fund. This fund through Heritage Canada, gives Canadians access to a variety of professional artistic experiences in their communities. The CAPF recognizes that arts presenters are key partners in achieving this objective by providing financial assistance to organizations that professionally present arts festivals or performing arts series, as well as their support organizations.
The Government of Canada has also provided funding of $15,000 to the Société acadienne de Clare through the Development of Official-Language Communities Program. This program is designed to foster the vitality of Canada’s French and English-speaking minority communities and enable them to participate fully in all aspects of Canadian life. Through partnerships and agreements with community organizations, provinces, territories, municipalities and federal departments and agencies, this program enhances the capacity of official-language minority communities to have a greater access to quality education and different programs and services in their language in their communities.

“Our Government’s priority is job creation, growth and long-term prosperity. In the Annapolis Valley, and in all of Nova Scotia, the tree fruit industry represents an important economic sector,” said MP Kerr. “Our support for the Nova Scotia Fruit Growers’ Association will help the creation of jobs throughout the value chain, the stimulation of investment and export opportunities, and the establishment of a sustainable business environment that encourages continued innovation and growth.”

The Government of Canada, through ACOA, is providing $47,500 in assistance to develop the strategy. The project will identify opportunities and actions that can advance the tree fruit industry by increasing efficiency through innovation and technology transfer. This will increase production in order to meet growing export demands, with the ultimate goal of increasing profitability and sustainability for Nova Scotia’s tree fruit growers.

“The Nova Scotia tree fruit industry has grown both in size and market share over the last decade. My Department is pleased to support this development strategy through an investment of $20,000. This funding will help take the industry to a new level and aligns closely with the Department of Agriculture’s Homegrown Success Strategy for development of good jobs in rural Nova Scotia,” said Agriculture Minister John MacDonell.

“Our organization has been in business for 149 years, representing a traditional industry that currently includes over 70 commercial producers,” said Dela Erith, Executive Director. “This funding will help us find ways to keep our industry strong and competitive.”

“Our Government received a strong mandate from Canadians to invest in organizations that support local artists, like the Yarmouth County Agricultural Society,” said Minister Moore. “By supporting this organization, our Government is delivering on its commitment to strengthen our economy and support our arts, culture, and heritage.”

“I am pleased to see our Government continuing to support the culture and heritage of our community,” said Greg Kerr. “This investment will help make this year’s exhibition one to remember.”

“We are happy to see the Government of Canada and our Member of Parliament continue to support the Western Nova Scotia Exhibition,” said Bonnie Hall, President of the Yarmouth County Agricultural Society. “We look forward to yet another great event this summer.”

The Yarmouth County Agricultural Society has received funding of $11, 500 to help present its 153rd edition of the Western Nova Scotia Exhibition, which will take place from July 31, 2012 to August 4, 2012.

The Government of Canada created the Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage program in September 2007. This program provides Canadians with more opportunities to take part in local activities that present arts and culture and celebrate local history and heritage. This program will benefit many community events and celebrations throughout Canada this year.

The Municipality of Clare has retrofitted an existing building on the site of the former Comeau Lumber Ltd. plant and transformed it into a recycling centre. In addition to new, locally manufactured equipment, the Municipality purchased some used equipment to get the centre up and running. The new facility opened earlier this year and is expected to process over 1,000 metric tons of recyclable materials annually. Residents of the Municipality of Clare, the Municipality of the District of Digby, and the Town of Digby collect recyclables in blue bags, which are then picked up, sorted and baled at the facility. Bales are then sold and transformed into other products by other companies.

“By retrofitting an existing building and reusing equipment, this new facility embodies reduce, re-use and recycle at its best,” said Greg Kerr, Member of Parliament for West Nova, on behalf of the Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities. “Our government is proud to have invested in this innovative project that will benefit both local residents and the environment. Through Canada’s Gas Tax Fund, we are continuing to deliver long-term infrastructure funding to support municipalities, while creating local jobs and economic growth across Canada.”

“The Province of Nova Scotia is pleased to see municipalities making major investments in healthy, vibrant and sustainable communities throughout Nova Scotia, such as the new recycling facility in Meteghan that will serve the citizens in the Municipality of Clare,” said John MacDonell, Minister of Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations. “The Gas Tax Fund provides municipalities with longer term, predictable funding and allows them to invest in environmentally sustainable infrastructure.”

“Without the Gas Tax Funds, it would have been impossible for the Municipality of Clare to set-up the recycling centre,” said Jean Melanson, Warden of the Municipality of Clare. “This plant enabled us to create much needed employment in the local area and it put us in charge of managing our own recyclables in-house, to be more self-reliant. We are pleased to work with the provincial and federal governments to continue to access funds for years to come from the Gas Tax program. This will allow the municipality to further enhance its solid waste management and further develop this ‘green’ industrial park situated in Meteghan.”

This $625,000 project was funded entirely through the Gas Tax Fund.

Canada’s Gas Tax Fund is a key federal program which provides stable, predictable funding to municipalities to help them build and revitalize public infrastructure. This program primarily supports capital projects such as local roads, public transit, energy systems and waste management infrastructure that lead to cleaner air, cleaner water or reduced greenhouse gas emissions. On December 15, 2011, the Government of Canada passed legislation to make the Gas Tax Fund a permanent annual investment of $2 billion per year.

Canada’s Gas Tax Fund provides $55.9 million in annual funding for municipal infrastructure in Nova Scotia. The Municipality of Clare will receive over $1.5 million from the Gas Tax Fund between 2010 and 2014.

For additional information about federal investments in infrastructure, visit infrastructure.gc.ca.

“Our government’s top priority is economic growth, job creation and long-term prosperity,” said MP Greg Kerr. “Through the Economic Action Plan, the Government of Canada is keeping Atlantic Canada moving forward in tough economic times. Our investment today will generate new local and international opportunities for a world-class business right here in Yarmouth.”

The Government of Canada, through the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, provides a repayable contribution of $195,000 to assist Tri-Star in implementing a marketing program to support the expansion and modernization of their production of ambulances, mobile clinics and secure vehicles. The program includes advertising, promotional materials, website development, prototype marketing, trade shows and product demonstrations.

“Tri-Star is committed to continuous improvement through innovation,” said Keith Condon, President of Tri-Star Industries Limited. “As we expand and modernize our production facilities and equipment, this investment will help us to promote our upgraded product in a global marketplace where the need for high-quality, fully-equipped products like ours is increasing.”

“As our Government continues moving forward, we will support job creation by helping businesses and entrepreneurs succeed, keeping taxes low, investing in projects of importance for communities, and maintaining Canada’s brand as one of the best places to live and invest,” said MP Kerr. “Our investment with the construction of an Adventure Park in Upper Clements will help promote the area as an experiential tourism destination, attracting both local and travelling visitors, which will have a beneficial impact on local and regional economies.”

ACOA’s repayable investment of $240,000 through the Business Development Program supports the construction of the new Adventure Park, which is being built on land adjacent to the former Wildlife Park property. The Adventure Park will consist of elevated platforms connected by rope bridges and short zip lines, as well as four longer stand-alone zip lines.

The province of Nova Scotia has also invested $119,750 in the Aerial Adventure Park. This investment will support engineering services as well as aid in the purchase of equipment for the park.
“Tourism is a strong economic driver in our province,” said Economic and Rural Development and Tourism Minister Percy Paris. “We have much to offer and the Aerial Adventure Park will only add to our reputation as a first rate tourism destination. Introducing new attractions allows us to stay competitive with other destinations and to continue being an exciting place for visitors young and old.”
“Our non-profit volunteer group appreciates this financial support and we look forward to providing more details on this exciting development at our Annual Meeting being held on April 19th at the local community hall” said David Brown, Board Chair of the Upper Clements Parks Society.

Mr. Greg Kerr, Member of Parliament for West Nova, made the announcement today on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development, at the Université Sainte Anne - Collège de l’Acadie, which is receiving grant funding under the Enabling Accessibility Fund.

“Our government recognizes the abilities of all Canadians and is committed to removing barriers to participation for people with disabilities,” said Mr. Kerr. “We are proud to work with the Université Sainte Anne - Collège de l’Acadie, which is helping Canadians gain greater access to facilities, programs and services in their communities.”

The Université Sainte Anne - Collège de l’Acadie is receiving $19,765 to install a ramp and apply an anti-slip product on the change room tiles at their facility. Through the Enabling Accessibility Fund, the Government has supported over 800 projects across the country, including 188 new projects totalling $6.2 million that were recently announced.