Released on December 1, 2006
The Northern Village of Pinehouse has received $248,000 from the Canada-Saskatchewan Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund (MRIF) to build a new hockey arena.Funding was announced today by the Honourable Carol Skelton, Minister of National Revenue and Minister of Western Economic Diversification, and Community Resources Minister and Athabasca MLA Buckley Belanger on behalf of Government Relations Minister Harry Van Mulligen.
Cameco Corporation, the world's largest uranium producer, has uranium operations in northern Saskatchewan, as well as employees from the village. The Saskatchewan-based mining company will contribute more than $145,000 to the project, including in-kind donations.
"Canada's new government is getting things done for the people of Pinehouse," said Minister Skelton, Minister of National Revenue and Minister of Western Economic Diversification. "We are working to promote fitness and healthy lifestyles for families. This arena will give the residents of Pinehouse new recreational options and will benefit the community for years to come."
"The province is very pleased to contribute toward the funding of a new arena, which will make life better for local families, especially young people, by providing a high-quality recreational facility," Belanger said. "Saskatchewan has been home to many terrific hockey players, from Gordie Howe to Fred Sasakamoose, the NHL's first Canadian First Nations player or Hayley Wickenheiser. With this arena, maybe a future Hockey Hall of Famer will come from Pinehouse."
"Today is a very optimistic start for our community of Pinehouse," Pinehouse Mayor Mike Natomagan said. "We are very grateful to Cameco Corporation for their unwavering support over the years. In addition, we also want to thank Harry Van Mulligen and Buckley Belanger from the provincial government for pushing this endeavor through to reality."
"Cameco is committed to the health of northern communities in the areas in which we operate," Cameco president and CEO Jerry Grandey said. "We support the communities with employment opportunities, economic development and direct investment into projects such as this. The arena will be a lasting legacy of our commitment to Pinehouse and youth in the community."
Cameco also arranged for in-kind donations of engineering services from UMA Engineering, site preparation services from Golder Associates Ltd. and earth moving services from Snake Lake Construction, to help reduce costs for the community.
This MRIF investment will allow the Northern Village of Pinehouse to build a new hockey arena worth more than $1.5 million. In Pinehouse, youth represent the largest percentage of the population and the new arena will provide them with healthy recreational choices.
The federal and provincial governments are investing a total of $76 million in the four-year Canada-Saskatchewan Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund. Participating communities are expected to contribute one-half the cost of any project, which will raise the total infrastructure investment above $152 million.
For more information on the Government of Canada and the Province of Saskatchewan's infrastructure programs, visit www.infrastructure.gc.ca or www.municipal.gov.sk.ca/mrd/prosimsi.shtml.
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For More Information, Contact:
| Mike Winterburn Minister Skelton's Office Ottawa Phone: 613-995-2960 | Gladys Wasylenchuk Government Relations Regina Phone: 306-787-1370 |
Heather Waldern Hinds Western Economic Diversification Canada Saskatoon Phone: 306-975-5475 | Gord Struthers Cameco Corporation Saskatoon Phone: 306-956-6593 |
Mike Natomagan Northern Village of Pinehouse Pinehouse Phone: 306-884-2030 |