All five of Prince Edward Island’s Rural Action Centres are open for business and Islanders are invited to visit their local centre on June 23, 2011.
“Our government is pleased to support projects like the Rural Action Centres. Such projects strengthen community infrastructure and expand economic opportunities for the people of Prince Edward Island,” said the Honourable Gail Shea, Minister of National Revenue, on behalf of the Honourable Bernard Valcourt, Minister of State for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) and La Francophonie. “We are pleased to collaborate with our provincial partners to continue to foster entrepreneurship on the Island.”
The Rural Action Centres in Alberton, Central Bedeque, Montague, and satellite offices in Wellington and Souris will be hosting open houses from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Thursday, June 23, 2011.
“The Rural Action Centres are one-stop shopping centres for business operators and community groups to access provincial and federal programming,” said the Honourable Neil LeClair, PEI Minister of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Rural Development. “This is an exciting opportunity to stimulate economic growth and activity in rural Prince Edward Island.
Rural Action Centres are partnerships between federal, provincial and non-government organizations that are focussed on business and community development services. Services in the Rural Action Centres will be coordinated through a cooperative delivery model to ensure complete and seamless access to government support programs for entrepreneurs, businesses and community groups.
Lead community partners of the Rural Action Centre are:
∙ West Prince Ventures Limited in Alberton
∙ Active Communities Inc. in Montague and Souris
∙ La Société de développement de la Baie Acadienne Incorporée in Wellington
∙ Central Development Corporation Ltd. in Central Bedeque
“These centres will be a real plus for rural Prince Edward Island to facilitate business and community development opportunities,” said Minister LeClair.
The Rural Action Centres are a cornerstone initiative of the Rural Action Plan launched in January, 2010 by the Department of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Rural Development. For more information on the Rural Action Centres, visit: www.ruralactioncentres.ca or to learn more about the Rural Action Plan, visit: www.gov.pe.ca/ruralactionplan.