On Parliament Hill

This past February, our Conservative Government announced Economic Action Plan 2014. One of the promises we made in that plan was to provide $10 million to expand and improve snowmobile, all-terrain vehicle, off-road motorcycle and non-motorized recreational trails across the country through an agreement between the Government of Canada and the National Trails Coalition (NTC).

Canada is blessed with a vast network of recreational trails which allow Canadians to experience the outdoors and appreciate this country’s natural beauty. Our recreational trails are utilized by the public for a wide variety of activities from healthy living and physical fitness to recreational pursuits; from economic development for local communities to transit from one destination to another. They range from paved pathways to machine-groomed corridors, from abandoned rail lines to simple dirt tracks.

On June 26, I was pleased to announce that the National Recreational Trails Program had begun accepting applications for funding.

Now that the program is “open for business”, local trail organizations across Canada are invited to submit project proposals directly to the NTC to help build and renew these multi-purpose trails for walking, running, cross-country skiing, biking, all-terrain vehicle use and snowmobiling.

The Coalition is responsible for selecting and approving projects. Between 150 and 200 projects are expected to be supported across Canada.

By investing in trail infrastructure, our Government is linking communities and increasing recreational opportunities for residents of southeastern Manitoba. I’m pleased that we will be working closely with our local trail organizations to help support the great work done by the hundreds of volunteers who manage and groom our trails here in Provencher.

For more information regarding applications and guidelines for project proposal submissions, please visit www.ntc-canada.ca.