Culture Minister Nathalie Roy in the Outaouais

Culture Minister Nathalie Roy in the Outaouais

Quebec’s Culture Minister Nathalie Roy confirmed $10,259,756 in funding for the development and the completion of 22 projects of requalification of heritage places of worship, during her visit to Chelsea on March 3. In an interview with CHIP 101.9, Ms. Roy pointed out that there was no such program until her government introduced one in 2019.

“To give a second life to these buildings, which are beautiful, which are part of our history, which are really attached to the Quebec identity,” she said (tr.). “This is why in 2019 I created a program to ensure that the government could finance projects that are promising in communities and to ensure that we can bring these buildings to life. So, today, I was very happy to be in Chelsea for this announcement because it’s $624,000 that will be donated to the United Church of Chelsea, the old church, because there is no there is more worship in this place. It really is now an arts center and this money will really be used to restore the building.”

The government has allocated $624,762 to the renovation of the old United Church in Chelsea (built in 1875) into a cultural center. Gatineau MNA Robert Bussière was on hand for the announcement.

More information on the program to protect and promote religious heritage can be found here. More information on the program to repurpose under used places of worship can be found here.

The full (French-language) interview with Roy can be found here.