Infrastructure Canada: Better Elderly Care Facilities and Fibre Optic Services for Eskasoni First Nation

ESKASONI, Nova Scotia, Aug. 13 -- Infrastructure Canada issued the following news release:

Investing in community infrastructure is essential to ensuring Canadian families have access to modern reliable services that improve their quality of life and position communities for growth. The governments of Canada and Nova Scotia recognize that strategic investments in community infrastructure play a key role in supporting dynamic communities while creating good jobs that help grow the middle class.

Today, the Honourable Bernadette Jordan, Minister of Rural Economic Development; the Honourable Stephen McNeil, Premier of Nova Scotia; and Eskasoni Chief Leroy Denny, announced funding to support the construction of a long-term care facility and the installation of fibre optics cable for the residents of Eskasoni First Nations.

Once completed, the Eskasoni First Nation will benefit from long-term care services for the elderly and disabled, and see over 1200 residents gain access to high-speed internet.

The new long-term care facility will be built on a portion of land recently added to Eskasoni First Nation's land base through the Addition to Reserve process. Minister Jordan announced the recent approval of an addition to the Eskasoni Indian Reserve on behalf of the Honourable Carolyn Bennett, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations. This Addition to Reserve will also create more opportunities for residential and commercial development in the community.

The Government of Canada is investing over $22.1 million towards these projects under the Investing in Canada infrastructure plan. The Government of Nova Scotia is contributing over $7.3 million total to these projects.

Quotes

"Our communities deserve modern infrastructure that allow residents and businesses to thrive. Upgrades to connectivity and the construction of a new long-term care facility help lay the foundation for future opportunities in the Eskasoni First Nation and will contribute to their long-term sustainability."

The Honourable Bernadette Jordan, Minister of Rural Economic Development

"The elder care facility is a great example of how Additions to Reserve support healthier, more sustainable First Nation communities. Eskasoni's plans for the land will mean greater commercial and employment opportunities for the community and, most importantly, the creation of a home where elders can stay connected with their families and their culture. Congratulations Chief Denny and all members of Eskasoni."

The Honourable Carolyn Bennett, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations

"Investing in Eskasoni will help this proud community grow stronger. Building a modern long-term care home and improving internet service will help ensure the people of Eskasoni have the support they need for their families and economic growth."

The Honourable Stephen McNeil, Premier of Nova Scotia

"The new facility elder care facility will allow the Mi'kmaq to carry on the tradition of caring for our own within our community, Kiknu which translates to "Our house" will be a place where our elders will feel at home and continue to have community and cultural connections.

Having a community where the majority of the population is engaged with technology of the day but have limited access has always been a disadvantage until now. Acquiring our own network with access to high speed internet and a variety of services at affordable prices will bring our community into present day as far as availability is concerned.

These new opportunities will be a huge economic driver in our community that will create much needed new jobs and is something my council is always striving for. These projects enable us to protect our culture, take care of our people and provide work that is a major win for us and a great step in reconciliation. "

Leroy Denny, Chief of Eskasoni First Nation

Quick facts

Through the Investing in Canada infrastructure plan, the Government of Canada 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.

$26.9 billion of this funding is supporting green infrastructure projects, including $5 billion available for investment through the Canada Infrastructure Bank.

On June 27, 2019, the Government of Canada launched two new strategies: Canada's Connectivity Strategy, which commits to connect all Canadians to high-speed internet, and Canada's first Rural Economic Development Strategy, which will spur economic growth and create good, middle class jobs for rural Canadians across the country.

The Rural Economic Development Strategy leverages ongoing federal investments and provides a vision for the future, identifying practical steps to take in the short term, and serving as a foundation to guide further work.

These investments complement the Atlantic Growth Strategy, a federal-provincial action plan aimed at stimulating economic growth in the region through five priority areas:

Skilled workforce/Immigration;

Innovation;

Clean growth and climate change;

Trade and investment;

Infrastructure.

A total of 86.5 hectares (213.74 acres) of adjacent land was added to the western edge of the Eskasoni Indian Reserve No. 3 via Order in Council on June 21, 2019.

A reserve is a portion of federal land set aside for the use and benefit of a particular First Nation; and an Addition to Reserve is the inclusion of new land to a First Nation's existing reserve land base.

Land can be added adjacent to an existing reserve land or separate from existing reserve land; and can be located in a rural or an urban setting.