Prime Minister Stephen Harper Announces Further Improvements to Quebec Post-Secondary Institutions

Helping CEGEPs and universities increase their research capacity and attract students, while stimulating the economy and creating jobs

ST-GEORGES-DE-BEAUCE, QUEBEC – Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced today a second round of projects funded through the Knowledge Infrastructure Program, a component of Canada's Economic Action Plan. The announcement was made at CEGEP Beauce-Appalaches, which is receiving additional federal funding to upgrade its facilities.

"By investing in post-secondary institutions throughout the province, our government is taking concrete action to build Canada's research and innovation capacity," said the Prime Minister. "The first series of projects, announced last June, demonstrate the effectiveness of our investment in knowledge infrastructure. Our government is determined to continue along this path so that CEGEPs and universities can meet the challenges associated with the economy of tomorrow."

The Prime Minister toured the CEGEP accompanied by its president Michel Louis Beauchamp and Member of Parliament for Beauce Maxime Bernier, and was able to see firsthand the upgrades made to the library and one of the school's labs. These improvements were made possible by an investment announced in June. The Prime Minister confirmed that the CEGEP will now be able to modernize its heating system, a project that is part of the second round of federal support.

"These investments, undertaken in cooperation with the Government of Quebec, are essential if CEGEPs and universities are to modernize their aging infrastructure. What's more, they stimulate the economy, create jobs and contribute to our economic recovery," added the Prime Minister.

For further information on Canada's Economic Action Plan, visit: www.actionplan.gc.ca.

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Backgrounder

Knowledge Infrastructure Program

The Knowledge Infrastructure Program is a two-year $2-billion economic stimulus measure to support infrastructure enhancement at post-secondary institutions across Canada.

The Program provides funding to support deferred maintenance, repair and expansion projects at universities and colleges, and responds directly to the need indicated by post-secondary institutions to improve existing campus infrastructure across the country. A major portion of this infrastructure is near the end of its projected life cycle and, in many cases, does not adequately meet the needs of today's research and teaching activities.

The Program has two components. The university component gives preference to projects that can improve the quality of research and development at the institution. The college component supports projects at other post-secondary institutions, such as colleges, publicly funded polytechnic schools and institutes of technology, which will strengthen their ability to deliver advanced knowledge and skills training.

Projects were assessed according to their ability to quickly and effectively generate economic activity and support job creation. Project readiness and economic impact are, therefore, key criteria used in project selection. Projects were also assessed on their ability to enhance research capacity, support the attraction of new students and provide a better educational experience for the highly skilled workers of tomorrow.

The Program will not only generate economic benefits and support job creation, but will also have an important positive net impact on the environment by reducing energy use, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving waste management at universities and colleges across Canada.

Knowledge Infrastructure Program Investments in Quebec Post‑Secondary Institutions

The Government of Canada provided $395 million for Quebec post-secondary institutions under the first round of the Knowledge Infrastructure Program, leveraging an additional $539 million from the province and other sources.

Through the second round of funding under the Knowledge Infrastructure Program, the federal government is investing $60.6 million in 88 projects at post-secondary institutions throughout Quebec. The Province of Quebec and other partners are providing the additional funding for these projects, bringing the total value of projects supported by second-round funding to $142.6 million.

Total federal-only funding for the Province of Quebec under the Knowledge Infrastructure Program is $458.4 million.