December 21, 1999
(Industry, Trade and Technology)

Smart Communities receive CEDA funding

The three Newfoundland and Labrador finalists for Industry Canada's Smart Communities competition were awarded a total of $53,000 in funding today under the Canada-Newfoundland Comprehensive Economic Development Agreement to develop their strategic plans for the second round of competition.

Funding was announced by Industry, Trade, and Technology Minister Sandra Kelly and George Baker, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Secretary of State for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA). Discovery Some Smart (Clarenville) received $18,000; Technology On Top of the World � Smart Labrador received $20,000; and Deer Lake, A True Global Community received $15,000. The funding approved was based on the amount the groups felt was necessary to compete in Phase II.

"The Smart Communities initiative shows how information and communication technologies can be used to support economic development and enrich community life for Canadians," said Minister Baker. "The Newfoundland and Labrador communities competing in Phase II of these projects will advance this development further, creating new opportunities for the people living in these communities."

"Newfoundland and Labrador has a strong and growing technology industry, and we realize the important role this sector plays in community development," said Minister Kelly. "I would like to commend all three groups for being motivated to become Smart Communities and entering this ambitious competition. Reaching stage two is indeed a tremendous accomplishment and I congratulate each of them on becoming finalists."

Through a nationwide, two-stage competition, 12 communities � one in each province, one in the north, and one in the Aboriginal community � will become sites for Smart Communities Demonstration Projects. Selected communities will design a project that uses information and communication technologies in innovative ways to provide economic, social, and cultural benefits. In addition, the Smart Communities Program will offer each of the selected sites non-repayable contributions to cover up to 50 per cent of eligible program costs to a maximum of $5 million over three years.

Funding for this initiative was provided by the Canada-Newfoundland Comprehensive Economic Development Agreement which is a five-year $50.14 million federal-provincial initiative designed to complement and support existing programs. The agreement is administered federally by the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), and provincially by the Department of Industry, Trade and Technology.

Media contact:

Jacqueline Simon
Department of Industry, Trade and Technology
(709) 729-0050

Doug Burgess
ACOA
(709) 772-2935

1999 12 21 12:00 p.m.