LEON BENOIT, MP, ANNOUNCES INVESTMENT IN LAKELAND COLLEGE

May 08, 2009

VERMILION, Alberta - May 08, 2009 — On behalf of the Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State for Science and Technology, Leon Benoit, Member of Parliament for Vegreville-Wainwright, today announced a $1,438,000 federal investment in Lakeland College under the Knowledge Infrastructure Program.

“Thanks to this funding by this Conservative government, which I am pleased to announce has been matched by the provincial government of Alberta, the Vermilion Campus can start their High Voltage Distribution Upgrade this August,” states Benoit.

This investment is part of the federal government’s two-year, $2-billion plan to repair and expand research and educational facilities at Canadian colleges and universities. The program is helping to provide economic stimulus and promote employment by creating jobs for engineers, architects, tradespeople and technicians. It is also helping to generate the advanced technological infrastructure needed to keep Canada’s colleges and universities at the forefront of scientific advancement.

“This Government of Canada investment in Lakeland College will provide a significant short-term economic stimulus to Vermilion and Lloydminster and will create jobs in this region,” said Benoit. “Our government is investing in innovation to create jobs, to help our economy recover quickly and to improve the quality of life for Canadians.”

Lakeland College was awarded this funding to upgrade their high voltage distribution infrastructure at their Vermilion Campus.

“In addition to improving the stability and increasing the life expectancy of the distribution system, the upgrade will enhance the efficiency of the system thus reducing our energy costs,” said Glenn Charlesworth, president of Lakeland College. 

Canada’s Economic Action Plan sets out to stimulate the Canadian economy over the next two years and to improve our long-term competitiveness through $12 billion in new infrastructure investment, which includes the $2-billion Knowledge Infrastructure Program. This new support is the next substantive investment in the Government of Canada’s multi-year Science and Technology Strategy, Mobilizing Science and Technology to Canada’s Advantage.

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