October 19, 1998
(Development and Rural Renewal)

Copper Creek Mountain strengthens tourism draw

There will be more ski days at Copper Creek in Baie Verte this winter. Copper Creek Mountain Inc. received a $245,427 investment from the Canada/Newfoundland Strategic Regional Diversification Agreement to install artificial snow-making equipment at the ski slope.

The announcement was made today by Gerry Byrne, MP Humber-St. Barbe-Baie Verte, on behalf of Fred Mifflin, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Secretary of State for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), and Beaton Tulk, Minister of Development and Rural Renewal.

"The ski facility at Baie Verte not only encourages tourists to visit this region, but also serves to develop a strong and interested local ski base," said Mr. Byrne. "It complements the facilities at White Hills and Marble Mountain by encouraging more local people to participate in the sport, while offering visiting skiers another ski destination."

"This equipment will extend the season and improve slope conditions at Copper Creek and make it more attractive to skiers," said Minister Tulk. "This ski hill attracts tourists to the Baie Verte Peninsula during the winter season, which helps to create jobs, increase business at local hotels, restaurants and gas stations, and boosts the economy of the entire region."

This project, which was identified by the Emerald Zone Board as an important economic initiative, will create four full-time seasonal jobs and four short-term positions. It will also help maintain the 20 present jobs at Copper Creek.

The Strategic Regional Diversification Agreement is a 70:30 cost-shared agreement between the federal and provincial governments respectively. The agreement is administered federally by the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), and provincially by the Department of Development and Rural Renewal.

Media contact:

Randy Devine, ACOA, (709) 772-2935

Clifford Grinling, Development and Rural Renewal, (709) 729-7066

Ed Traverse, Copper Creek Mountain Inc., (709) 532-4338

1998 10 19                                 11:15 a.m.