Members of Montreal's Black communities will have access to a modern and dynamic new venue to showcase their artistic and cultural expression, thanks to an investment of nearly $16 million from the federal government.
Announced by Minister Steven Guilbeault, Parliamentary Secretary Sameer Zuberi, on behalf of Minister Kamal Khera, MP Emmanuel Dubourg, Borough Mayor for Plateau-Mont-Royal Luc Rabouin and the Montreal Afro-Canadian Cultural Centre (MACC) Executive Director Allen Alexandre, this project will benefit Montrealers by helping to enrich the city's cultural diversity through the MACC presence here starting in 2026.
This investment will enable the MACC to pursue its mission of becoming a focal point and gathering place for the city's Black communities, as well as a space for intercultural exchange for the general public in Montreal, Quebec and Canada. Indeed, the partnership model developed by the MACC represents an innovative initiative within Canada's Black communities, fostering the sustainability of these communities' cultural and artistic institutions, the strengthening of ties between various economic and social players within these communities, and the long-term growth of the local social economy.
In addition to providing residents with a new venue for the promotion of art and culture, today's funding will bring a historic Montreal building back to life. The project includes renovation and expansion work that will convert the former École des beaux-arts de Montréal into a cultural facility for the benefit of the city's Black communities.
A thriving economy needs strategic investments in green infrastructure to build a sustainable future for Canadians, with access to good jobs, while limiting impacts on the local environment.
The Green and Inclusive Community Buildings (GICB) program aims to improve the places Canadians work, learn, play, live and come together by cutting pollution, reducing costs, and supporting thousands of good jobs.
Through green and other upgrades to existing public community buildings and new builds in underserved communities, the GICB program helps ensure community facilities are inclusive, accessible, and have a long service life, while also helping Canada move towards its net-zero objectives by 2050.
The Supporting Black Canadian Communities Initiative (SBCCI) is a federal grants and contributions initiative. SBCCI provides funding to help Black-led organizations build foundational infrastructure within Black communities.
