FedDev Ontario supporting southern Ontario economic recovery

June 11, 2010

Deborah Jarvis, Museum President, Joe Preston, Member of Parliament and Ian Raven, Curator Elgin Military Museum

St. Thomas, ON — Joe Preston, MP for Elgin-Middlesex-London, today announced that the Elgin Military Museum will receive $1,920,000 to obtain, transport, mount and operate HMCS Ojibwa as a naval monument and museum pending appropriate approvals.

“Residents in our community will benefit from projects like this one, which encourage economic revitalization,” said Preston. “We are working hard to support and invest in southern Ontario communities to help this region recover from the economic recession.”

The Elgin Military Museum has been given access to the submarine by the Department of Defence. The museum has been working with BMT Fleet Technology to assess the potential needs of the vessel and the ability to transport it from its current location.

Deborah Jarvis, Museum President said “On behalf of the Museum Board and Members, we are all very proud and honoured to have had our project selected for funding through this program.  This Project, if successful, will result in a fitting and lasting tribute to the Canadian Navy and all its members, past, present and future, and their role in building and securing the Country we live in.  It is especially fitting that we are able to undertake this project during the centennial year of the Canadian Navy.”

“Project Ojibwa has now truly begun thanks to the funding this grant will provide.  The Museum has been studying and researching this project for more than a year”, said Ian Raven Executive Director.  “The groundbreaking efforts of the HMCS Onandaga group in Rimouski has shown that this project is feasible, and we hope to emulate their tremendous success here and create a world class naval museum.”

This project will be funded through the Community Adjustment Fund, a two-year, $1-billion national program aimed at addressing the short-term economic needs of communities hit hardest by the global economic recession. The approved project must meet the terms and conditions set out in the contribution agreement. 

“For a small museum such as ours, this Project represents a quantum leap in growth,” stated Raven. “ Our Museum has a history of carefully planned successful growth, funded primarily by our members and supporters, but a project of this magnitude would be beyond our grasp without the support of the Government of Canada, and especially our MP, Joe Preston, who has championed our cause to this successful announcement.”

FedDev Ontario was created as part of Canada’s Economic Action Plan to support economic and community development, innovation, and economic diversification, with contributions to communities, businesses and non-profit organizations in southern Ontario. To learn more about FedDev Ontario and the Community Adjustment Fund, please visit the web site at www.feddevontario.gc.ca, or call 1-866-593-5505. For additional information on Canada’s Economic Action Plan, visit www.actionplan.gc.ca.