Canada and Ontario are working to reduce the impact of the pandemic on communities and are investing in improving community centres in Ontario. The Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade, on behalf of the Honourable Catherine McKenna, Federal Minister of Infrastructure and Communities; Majid Jowhari, Member of Parliament for Richmond Hill; the Honourable Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario; Logan Kanapathi, Member of Provincial Parliament for Markham - Thornhill, on behalf of the Honourable Laurie Scott, Ontario's Minister of Infrastructurte; and Mr. Ahmad Tabrizi, Founder and President of the Parya Trillium Foundation, announced funding for the expansion of the Parya Trillium Foundation community centre in Markham.
An article in Newswire stated that the Government of Canada is investing more than $1.9 million in this project through the Community, Culture and Recreation Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada plan. The Government of Ontario is providing more than $1.6 million, while the Parya Trillium Foundation is providing more than $1.3 million toward this project.
The project involves the following improvements to the community centre:
- Addition of a two-story extension
- Construction of a gymnasium
- Construction of changing rooms
- Construction of washrooms
- Creation of additional classrooms
- New reception area
- Installation of solar panels to increase the building's energy efficiency
- Parking area improvements
- Adding 90 additional parking spaces and four barrier-free spaces
- Redesigned landscaping
The expansion project will also enhance the existing community centre's services and programs which support new Canadians, youth and seniors. It will also provide greater opportunities for education, social integration, and community development.
"Investing in community, culture and recreational infrastructure is essential to creating communities that are inclusive, sustainable and resilient. This project allows the Parya Trillium Foundation to keep doing great work for the Iranian-Canadian community, creating a valuable community space that not only brings people together, but will also contribute to community development. Canada's infrastructure plan invests in thousands of projects, creates jobs across the country and builds cleaner, more inclusive communities."
Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion & International Trade | Mary Ng
Through the Investing in Canada plan, the federal government is investing more than $180 billion over 12 years in public transit projects, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, trade and transportation routes, and Canada's rural and northern communities.
Across Ontario, the Government of Canada has invested more than $8.2 billion in over 2,760 infrastructure projects.
Ontario is investing over $10.2 billion under the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program to improve public transit, community, culture and recreation; green, and rural and northern community and other priority infrastructure.
