Almost Six Million Dollars For Drinking Water In Grand-Entry

Today, May 11th, 2009, the Vice Premier, Minister of Municipal Affairs, Regions and Territory Occupation and the Minister Responsible for the Region of Gaspesia and the Islands, Mrs Nathalie Normandeau and the Deputy of the Magdalen Islands, Germain Chevarie, announced a financial aide of $5,630,215 in the framework of the Infrastructures Program Quebec-Municipalities (PIQM), for the construction of infrastructure for providing the distribution of drinking water in view of serving the future marine product transformation factory for the company, Cap-sur-Mer, located at Grand Entry. This last is the result of the merging of Madelimer inc. and Les Pecheries Gros-Cap inc., Madelimer and Big Cape Fisheries.

“The Madelimer factory employed around 320 workers before it was lost to fire in 2006. Taking in account held for this event and for the reorganization of the fishing industry in the last two years in the region, the construction project of the factory is linked to the restructuring of a new system to provide drinking water, and our government is proud to participate in raising the financial amount for the work,” declared the Deputy Chevarie.

The provision of drinking water is a primordial resource for re-launching the industrial activities, in the sector of Grand Entry. At the start of the new century, the enterprise Madelimer had problems providing water, with the existing wells. They had been using both Mario’s and John Fred’s water wells. However, minerals were deposited in the wells by the intrusion of sea water. These wells are no longer usable. After the infusion of salt water, Madelimer continued to use the water for the workings of the factory, but the sea water from the wells hastened the deterioration of the factory’s equipment. The construction project of the new factory, Cap-sur-Mer, is therefore linked directly to the re-drilling of a new system providing enough drinking water in this sector. For the first phase of the project, around forty-five residences will benefit from this investment in procuring quality drinking water. In the long term, the population of Grand Entry will be served by a providing infrastructure and a modern processing factory.

To accomplish this project, it is necessary to invest the amount of $5,926,542, in virtue of regulation 2.1 of the PIQM. The government of Quebec will contribute $5,630,215 and the Iles-de-la-Madeleine Municipality will provide the amount of $296,327.

“The aide agreed upon today with the Municipality of the Iles-de-la-Madeleine, nicely illustrates the engagement of our government, together with the communities in their efforts aimed at improving and having durable infrastructures. These investments written in the Quebec Plan for infrastructures, which will oversee more than 41.8 billion dollars for the period of 2008-2013, which 3.6 billion dollars will serve to maintain and update Municipal infrastructures,” said the Minister Normandeau.

For his part, the mayor of the Iles-de-la-Madeleine, Joel Arseneau rejoiced in having the support of the Government of Quebec for the accomplishment of this project, which allows the fishing industry to be restructured and his municipality to have it’s infrastructures rejuvenated.