Minister Sajjan and MP Noormohamed announce $25 million in infrastructure support for the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver's redevelopment project

VANCOUVER, BC, Dec. 5, 2022 /CNW/ - Our cultural spaces are essential to the strength, diversity and vitality of our communities. Every day, these spaces bring us together, contribute to our well-being, and help make Canada a strong and inclusive country.

Today, the Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of International Development and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada and Member of Parliament (Vancouver South), and Taleeb Noormohamed, Member of Parliament (Vancouver Granville), announced $25 million in federal infrastructure support for the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver. They made this announcement on behalf of the Honourable Pablo Rodriguez, Minister of Canadian Heritage.

This important investment will help the organization to modernize and expand its capacity through a new facility. The two-phase redevelopment project, known as JWest, will provide a diverse community hub with updated arts, cultural, heritage and recreational facilities, in addition to a wide range of community-based support services. JWest will also create new rental housing units and childcare spaces.

The new site will additionally include a new home for the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre. This builds on the Government of Canada's historic commitment to preserving Holocaust remembrance, including recent investments to support new Holocaust museums in Montréal and Toronto.

The Government of Canada is proud to support projects like JWest that contribute to building a more inclusive, more equitable and fairer society where everyone can participate and thrive.

"The Government of Canada stands with Jewish communities across Canada and around the world. Today's investment is part of our commitment to an inclusive Canada that is strong and proud of its diversity. Supporting cultural facilities is essential, not only to retain their viability today, but to help them flourish for generations to come. We are proud that our support for the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver will strengthen Holocaust education, improve accessibility to arts and heritage, and combat antisemitism."

—The Honourable Pablo Rodriguez, Minister of Canadian Heritage

"The Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver is now another step closer to building a larger community hub where Vancouverites of all backgrounds can connect through shared experiences, while allowing the Centre to continue providing services and supports that enrich quality of life in our city."

—The Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of International Development and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada and Member of Parliament (Vancouver South)

"This important investment creates an essential space to celebrate and preserve the culture of Jewish Canadian communities. We reiterate our commitment to building a safer, more diverse and inclusive Canada. I am pleased that this funding will help support a lasting cultural legacy for Metro Vancouver and beyond."

—The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion

"The Jewish Community Centre has long been a cultural anchor in Vancouver. With growth and development expected to continue along the Oakridge corridor, now is the time to build a solid foundation from which the JCC can expand its reach and plan for tomorrow. The funding announced today is not only an investment in bricks and mortar, but in ensuring a continued legacy of community support and service."

—Taleeb Noormohamed, Member of Parliament (Vancouver Granville)

"We are incredibly grateful for the Government of Canada's support of our vision for this project. The redevelopment of the Jewish Community Centre will result in a renewed state-of-the-art, multigenerational community centre with amenities and services for all Vancouver residents including expanded childcare spaces, seniors' services, arts and cultural space, and an expanded Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre. The redevelopment of the JCC is a key part of the overall development project which will also bring much needed mixed-use rental housing at or below market value."

—Eldad Goldfarb, Executive Director, Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver

"The Jewish community recognizes that access to high-quality affordable childcare is an issue that affects families across the region and that planning ahead to meet the evolving needs of seniors is a priority as this segment of the population grows. We are deeply grateful to the Government of Canada for supporting our vision for a renewed Jewish Community Centre to address the issues that affect so many people in the Lower Mainland. We see this as an opportunity to build a legacy that will benefit people across the region for generations to come."

—Ezra Shanken, CEO, Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver

The Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver, built in 1961, serves over 40,000 people a year through cultural, recreational, educational and social activities, in addition to housing not-for-profit community organizations.

The organization will redevelop its current facility, located in Vancouver's Oakridge neighbourhood, into a mixed-use multi-building campus. JWest will house a replacement community centre with new recreational and retail space, an expanded aquatic centre, an early childhood education centre, a library, a gallery, an auditorium and professional theatre, and non-profit office space.

Budget 2022 affirmed the Government of Canada's commitment to supporting the modernization of the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver. It also announced a commitment of $20 million to support the construction of the new Holocaust Museum in Montréal and an investment of $2.5 million for the new Toronto Holocaust Museum.

Budget 2022 - A Diverse and Inclusive Canada

Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver

JWest

SOURCE Canadian Heritage