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NLIS 4 October 15, 2002 (Industry, Trade and Rural Development) New IT Centre Officially Opens Businesses on the Burin Peninsula now have increased access to IT services with the assistance of a new IT Enabling Centre located on the College of the North Atlantic campus in Burin. The Centre, which is a partnership between the Marystown-Burin Area Chamber of Commerce, the Schooner Regional Economic Development Board and the College, will provide IT services, infrastructure and human resources to local businesses. Present for the official opening were Bill Matthews, MP for Burin-St. George�s; Mary Hodder, MHA for Burin-Placentia West; Judy Foote, Minister of Education and MHA for Grand Bank; Jerry Pike, president of the Marystown-Burin Area Chamber of Commerce; Henry Moores, chairperson of the Schooner Regional Development Board; and Cyril Farrell, Director of Programs of the College of the North Atlantic. "The opening of this facility represents a huge step forward for the business community in this region," said Mr. Pike. "If we are to diversify the economic base of the Burin Peninsula region, we need the services being offered by the Centre. The Chamber membership is eager to adopt increased IT capabilities in order to move their companies forward." Bill Matthews, bringing greetings on behalf of the Honourable Gerry Byrne, Minister of State for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), said, "The investment of the Government of Canada, through ACOA, in this Centre reaffirms our commitment to developing an innovative culture in all parts of this country. It is crucial that our businesses, students and community leaders have full access to the benefits and opportunities of information technology." "This investment in the IT Enabling Centre at the College of the North Atlantic's Burin Campus reflects the priorities set out in the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador�s Renewal Strategy for Jobs and Growth for education, technology and rural development," said MHA Mary Hodder, on behalf of Industry, Trade and Rural Development Minister Kelvin Parsons. "By educating our youth in technology and providing access to new services to the business community, we are developing our capabilities as a province in the information technology sector, which in the long term, holds tremendous growth and employment potential." The Centre will provide a full range of IT services, including technical support, IT-related training, e-business support, internet services and assistance for activities in support of the Development Board�s strategic plan. The Centre will employ a full time manager. Pamela Walsh, president of College of the North Atlantic, says the college is looking forward to strengthening its relationship with the partners and helping to foster economic growth in the area. "It is very important for businesses in rural parts of Newfoundland and Labrador to have access to information technology services," she says. "This centre will provide that access, as well as access to the knowledgeable staff employed by the centre. Part of the College�s mandate is to foster economic development, and this centre is one example of how we can fulfill that commitment." "This Centre will help the Board realize some of the priorities in our strategic plan," said Mr. Moores. "It is through partnerships such as the one created to develop the IT Centre that we will continue to work towards our goal of improving the economic climate of this region." The Marystown-Burin Area Chamber of Commerce is a not-for-profit organization with a mandate to foster economic development and to support the small business sector on the Burin Peninsula. Its long-term mission is to engage in a strategic partnership with the communities� stakeholders to build a climate that encourages entrepreneurial development. The Centre was established through the financial assistance of the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Comprehensive Economic Development Agreement, managed federally by ACOA and provincially by ITRD. The Agreement invested a total of $275,600 in the project ($220,480 federal, $55,120 provincial). Media contact:
2002 10 15 12:35 p.m. |
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