Ten retrofit and new community building projects in Saskatchewan are receiving a total of $68-million from the federal government.
The money from Ottawa comes from the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings program.
“Community buildings are where Canadians gather. From weddings to hockey practices, a wide range of events take place there – especially in rural and remote communities. Our government is investing to ensure that across Saskatchewan, community infrastructure keeps up with the evolving needs of the communities that make use of it everyday,” said Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities.
The Ituna Community Arena Cooperative will receive more than $2.3 million to retrofit the Ituna Community Arena. This will help replace the aging roof structure, install energy saving systems, and improve facility accessibility. A news release say these modifications “will reduce the building’s energy consumption by over 43%.”
“The Ituna Community Arena is the heartbeat of our rural community and in dire need of a retrofit,” said Jack Shymko, Chairperson of the Ituna Community Arena Building Committee. “Thanks to funding from the Government of Canada, people from Ituna and surrounding communities will have a modern, eco-efficient and safe recreational facility for many years.”
Another local community receiving funding is the Cowessess First Nation with $15.2-million for the construction of the Cowessess Urban Indigenous Health Centre, which will be a new, net-zero carbon community health and social facility.
The federal government notes all funding is conditional on meeting all requirements related to environmental assessments.
