Government of Canada and Province of Manitoba Announce Investment to Help Create Jobs in Powerview-Pine Falls

December 15, 2009

Pine Falls, Manitoba

The Honourable Vic Toews, President of the Treasury Board, on behalf of the Honourable Lynne Yelich, Minister of State for Western Economic Diversification, and the Honourable Peter Bjornson, Manitoba Minister of Entrepreneurship, Training and Trade, today announced government support to help increase economic opportunities in Powerview-Pine Falls.

"I’m pleased to announce the Government of Canada’s support for the Winnipeg River Learning Centre," said Minister Toews. "Investments such as this are creating and protecting jobs, supporting Canadians who have lost their jobs, helping threatened industries, and laying the foundations for our future prosperity."
The Winnipeg River Learning Centre is receiving $2.7 million in federal funding and $600,000 in provincial funding to retrofit and upgrade their current facilities in order to expand access to training programs.

"Although Manitoba is not immune to the effects of global economic uncertainty, we are continuing to build on the province's strengths of economic diversity and stability by increasing opportunities for our highly skilled workforce," said Bjornson. "This learning centre investment builds on our $1-million commitment to help establish a community adjustment committee of workers and local leaders to work through the economic challenges that face the community."
"On behalf of the Board of Directors and the entire community, I would like to say how pleased we are to receive this much needed funding," said Bev Dubé, Chairperson, Winnipeg River Learning Centre. "This will enable our facility to become more sustainable as we focus our efforts on education and training for the entire region."

A part of Canada’s Economic Action Plan, the Community Adjustment Fund (CAF) is a two-year, $1 billion national program that will provide an economic stimulus by supporting projects that create jobs and maintain employment in rural communities.

The fund will provide $306 million over two years to support the most affected western Canadian communities, such as those that are heavily reliant on resource-based industries, for instance forestry, mining, agriculture and fisheries, and communities that depend on the manufacturing industry. Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD) is delivering the fund in the four western provinces.

Visit the CAF in the West or Canada’s Economic Action Plan for more information.