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NLIS 4
December 8, 2004
(Innovation, Trade and Rural Development)
Provincial government
investing over $1 million in regional economic initiatives
Premier Danny Williams announced
today the province will invest approximately $1.2 million over three years
in economic development initiatives throughout the province. Also present at
the announcement were Kathy Dunderdale, Minister of Innovation, Trade and
Rural Development and Minister Responsible for the Rural Secretariat, and
Paul Shelley, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation.
"This government is deeply
committed to the continual development of every region of our
province," Premier Williams said. "The investments we are
announcing today reflect our government�s commitment to strengthen and
grow the province�s economy and improve employment opportunities
throughout all regions of the province. In our Blueprint, we committed to
revitalizing rural communities, to investing in areas such as tourism,
culture and education, and to developing and supporting business. Today, we
are living up to all of these commitments. By way of supporting regional
investment opportunities, the provincial government, through the Department
of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development, is investing $1.2 million in
thirteen regional initiatives, of which $735,500 will be spent this
year."
Funding for these projects is
part of the provincial government�s strategy to develop and strengthen the
economy of Newfoundland and Labrador. The initiatives focus on regional
strategic growth sectors, and range from a rare botany initiative in
Labrador to establishing an interpretation centre in Fortune.
"These projects will
generate employment in all regions of the province and will have long-term
economic development impacts for the areas in which they are based, as well
as for the province as a whole," said Minister Dunderdale. "The
investment the provincial government is making in these projects will lever
an additional $5.4 million from other sources. This is another example of
how this government will, with the cooperation of the federal government and
other economic development organizations, revitalize the economy of
Newfoundland and Labrador."
Minister Shelley said the
investment reflects government�s continued focus on the tourism industry
as an area of strategic growth potential.
"The tourism industry is
part of one of the fastest growing industries in the world, supporting
25,000 direct and indirect jobs and an estimated 2,400 businesses in this
province," said Minister Shelley. "These strategic investments in
the tourism industry will enhance tourism infrastructure on the ground,
thereby increasing the growth potential of this important industry,
resulting in increased employment, visitation and spending in rural areas of
Newfoundland and Labrador."
Media contacts:
Elizabeth Matthews, Premier�s
Office, 729-3960 or (709) 690-5500
Lynn Evans, Innovation, Trade
and Rural Development, 729-4570 or (709) 690-6290
Tansy Mundon, Tourism, Culture
and Recreation, 729-0928 or (709) 685-1741
BACKGROUNDER
Regional Economic Initiatives
Labrador Straits Rare Plant
Initiative
The Labrador Straits Historical
Development Corporation is planning to open a Natural Heritage Centre in
Point Amour in the spring of 2006. It will include an arts and culture
studio and a laboratory for university field work. The centre will host arts
and culture events including dinner theatres, artists in residence programs
and static displays. The centre will document the natural history of the
Labrador Straits and serve as a tourism attraction for visitors. The
corporation has hired a research team consisting of a project manager, two
botanists and four field workers responsible for completing a plant survey
of the Labrador Straits. The results of this survey will assist with the
development plans for the Natural Heritage Centre . The $44,000 approved for
this initiative will be used to help finance the research team to ensure
completion of the plant survey and to complete necessary renovations to the
property.
Waterfront Development Strategy
The waterfront in Woody Point
has always been the centre of commercial activity. However, the narrow
street and limited parking space have become congested due to local
commercial activity (such as the fishery) during the summer season. The
space currently available is not adequate to accommodate all of this
activity during the tourism season. The waterfront development strategy is
essential to the future growth of the tourism industry in the Town of Woody
Point, as well as the region. This development will allow for easy access to
and from the heritage region without disrupting the local commercial
activity. It is a necessary development in order to achieve the full
potential benefits from all economic sectors of the town. The $113,718
approved for this initiative will help finance the completion of the access
road and construction of the sidewalk and parking lot.
Torrent River Fishway, Phase II
Phase II of the Torrent River
Fishway development consists of the construction of a Salmon Interpretation
Centre. Torrent River has been the focus of numerous developments to date,
including restocking of the salmon population, restoration of the salmon
habitat, construction of a salmon ladder and trail development along the
river bed. The Torrent River Fishway has also been replaced and the
Interpretation Centre is viewed as an opportunity to integrate both
developments. The $167,366 approved for this initiative will help to finance
the construction of the new centre.
Corner Brook Stream Master Plan
The Corner Brook Stream Master
Plan outlines a development and implementation strategy for a network of
walking trails throughout the city of Corner Brook from Riverside Drive and
the waterfront to Margaret Bowater Park and Three Mile Dam. The estimated
cost of this development is in excess of $3.7 million over a period of ten
years and will be implemented in three phases: Phase I implemented over
years 1-2, Phase II over years 3-5 and Phase III implemented over years
5-10. The $73,000 approved for this initiative will assist the Corner Brook
Stream Development Corporation with the implementation of Phase I of the
Master Plan.
Humber Education Alliance
The Humber Education Alliance
markets the combined programs and services of major post-secondary
institutions in the area, including the secondary school level, to attract
international students to the local area. On average, each international
student generates about $19,000 for tuition and living expenses annually. In
its first two years of operation, the student centre has attracted students
from locations such as China, Mexico, Belize, South Korea and the United
States. Recruitment levels and revenues have exceeded original estimates
with 38 students attending schools in the area within the past year,
bringing an additional $169,000 in revenues to the local post-secondary
institutions. The $50,000 approved for this initiative will assist with
financing the marketing program for two more years.
Blueberry Farm Development
The Blueberry Development
Corporation is attempting to promote the development of a commercially
viable blueberry industry in Central and Eastern Newfoundland by
demonstrating and developing farm technology applied locally. This is the
third year for the four-year initiative and the Blueberry Corporation has
undertaken the completion of the strategy to further develop this industry.
It involves extensive research into development options, methods to increase
overall blueberry production and recommendations for the appropriate
structure based on the needs of the industry. The $86,000 approved for this
initiative will fulfill government�s commitment for years three and four
of this strategy.
Fortune Head Interpretation
Centre
Fortune Head is the site of a
unique geological phenomenon as it is one of only three sites in the world
that has an exposed global stratotype (a particular rock formation of great
interest to geological researchers). The proposed interpretation centre
represents an opportunity for students and visitors to experience an
exciting occurrence in the earth�s geological history. The centre will be
used as a resource for professionals who wish to pursue detailed studies
into aspects of the Precambrian � Cambrian boundary. The $50,000 approved
for this initiative will assist with financing the construction of the
centre.
Sir William Coaker Property
Development
This initiative consists of the
construction of a boardwalk, cribbing and interpretive signage as part of an
overall development plan for the Sir William Coaker property in Port Union.
This would provide visitors with an informative seaside walkway that,
through the use of interpretive panels, portrays the heritage of the region.
The $34,837 approved for the project will assist the Sir William Coaker
Heritage Foundation with the completion of this initiative.
Baccalieu Island Tourism
Strategy
Baccalieu Island Ecological
Reserve is located two miles off the shore of the northern tip of the Bay de
Verde Peninsula and supports the greatest diversity of breeding seabirds in
Eastern North America. There is significant tourism demand to learn about
and experience this seabird diversity. The $15,000 approved for this
initiative provides resources to the association for the development of a
strategy to identify potential tourism offerings including boat tours, bird
watching packages, etc.
The Anna Templeton Centre for
Craft, Art and Design
Present space at the Anna
Templeton Centre is insufficient to meet local and provincial programming
demands. The centre shares classroom space between full-time students
enrolled in the Textile Studies Program of the College of the North Atlantic
and part-time students enrolled in craft courses and workshops. The centre
must expand to allow for more classroom space to meet growing demand for
full-time studies, part-time and recreational studies, and an enlarged
outreach program, including skills and professional development workshops
and seminars for the professional craft industry province-wide. The $50,000
approved for this initiative will assist with the cost of expanding the
centre to meet the demands for its services.
Colony of Avalon Long-Term Plan
The Colony of Avalon is one of
the premiere heritage attractions in the province, with 20,000 visitors
annually. The $11,250 in approved funding supports a study to determine the
feasibility of creating a landscape on the Ferryland Downs that would be
suitable for the reproduction of the Colony of Avalon site. The colony has
implemented many of the recommendations of its master plan and now wishes to
explore the feasibility of reproducing structures to create a landscape from
the seventeenth century. The initial physical assessment will be phase one
of a process that addresses economic feasibility, marketing, construction
costs and other business factors.
Memorial University
Memorial University will work
with secondary and post-secondary educational institutions and the
Government of Newfoundland and Labrador to market and promote the province
as an educational destination for international students. The Provincial
Strategy for International Student Recruitment focuses on a coordinated
business approach to internationalization and the goal is to have 2,000
international students in Newfoundland and Labrador by the year 2006-07. The
Humber Education Alliance is a targeted portion of the provincial strategy
and markets the combined programs and services of major post-secondary
institutions in the Humber area, including the secondary school level, to
attract international students to the local area. The $450,000 approved for
this initiative will assist the university with implementing the remaining
three years of the strategy.
Carmanville Wetlands Habitat
The Town of Carmanville signed a
stewardship agreement with the Eastern Habitat Joint Venture in 1995 to
protect and enhance the local wetlands and wildlife. Since that time,
approximately six kilometres of trail have been developed, five observation
decks have been built and a blind has been erected for viewing waterfowl. In
addition, an interpretation centre focusing on the wetlands was completed in
October 2003. The Carmanville Habitat Committee is planning to further
develop the interpretation centre in order to add to the visitors�
experience. The $16,340 approved for this initiative will help finance the
development of the exhibits and the design work.
2004 12 08
11:55 a.m.
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