Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, May 29, 2008 – The Honourable Jean-Pierre Blackburn, Minister of Labour and Minister of Canada Economic Development, today joined the Honourable Jim Prentice, Minister of Industry, in announcing that the CTT Group has been awarded $125,000 in non-repayable funding from the Government of Canada for the development of a technology roadmap for the Canadian textile industry. This roadmap will result from the findings of a sectoral consultation process to help develop a technology development strategy aimed at satisfying future demand for textile products and promoting Canadian products worldwide.
The CTT Group is a non-profit organization dedicated to encouraging the technological advancement and development of textile, geosynthetic and para-textile companies. Its aim is to improve productivity, foster knowledge-sharing and support research and development in the sector.
“The technology roadmap prepared by the CTT Group will allow us to better understand how markets are evolving and identify the products likely to be in demand in the years to come. This initiative should give stakeholders a better grasp of the strengths of the Canadian textile industry, which will serve as the basis for their action plan and enable them to make use of technologies conducive to economic growth and development,” stated Minister Blackburn.
“Fast-paced changes in world textile markets pose numerous challenges to Canadian enterprises in this sector, and the Government of Canada is keenly aware of the issues these companies are facing. Indeed, it is precisely with a view to helping the manufacturing and processing sectors rise to these challenges that our 2008 budget has committed to tax relief and an extension of the accelerated capital cost allowance,” explained Minister Prentice.
Awarded through two government portfolios, this funding to the CTT Group includes a $50,000 contribution from Canada Economic Development and $75,000 in assistance from Industry Canada.
Based in Saint-Hyacinthe, the CTT Group is the only establishment in Canada to house such a wide array of information, commercial and technical resources under one roof for the textile, geosynthetic and polymer sectors. The CTT Group will be celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.
Sources
Catherine Vallée
Communications
Canada Economic Development
Tel.: 514-283-0368
Cell.: 514-702-3360
E-mail: catherine.vallee@dec-ced.gc.ca
Sylvain Frenette
Office of the Honourable Jean-Pierre Blackburn
Canada Economic Development
Tel.: 514-496-1282
E-mail: sylvain.frenette@dec-ced.gc.ca
Deirdra McCracken
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Jim Prentice
Minister of Industry
Tel.: 613-995-9001
