Canada and Ontario fund improvements at Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto

Ontario Construction News staff writer

The Chinese Cultural Centre (CCC) of Greater Toronto will receive more than $5 million from the province and the federal government to pay for renovations. The centre is contributing $1.8 million.

The project includes increasing existing service space and expanding accessibility to the outdoor and indoor program and activity areas.

” Not only will the CCC be able to do some much needed technological and accessibility improvements to its existing facilities that have served so many, now we will be able to finally realize the dream of an Asian Garden,” said Alan Lam, chair of the centre board.

“This Garden will be as functional as symbolic, highlighting plant biodiversity, creating pathways for meditation, and serve as an educational opportunity in a natural setting. Most notably, it can serve as a representation of the continued symbiosis of Chinese Canadians in this country for generations to come.”

Additional work includes expanding and remodeling the open yard into a new outdoor garden and an indoor multipurpose space, upgrading the audio-visual, sound, and lighting systems in the front foyer, remodelling the current library space into a multipurpose resource centre, and improving the 626-seat theatre and multipurpose hall with new audio-visual and lighting systems.

The new complex will provide the Chinese community in Greater Toronto with a modern, reliable, and more accessible community facility.

Through the Investing in Canada plan, the federal government is investing more than $180 billion over 12 years in public transit projects, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, trade and transportation routes, and Canada’s rural and northern communities.

Across the province and over the next 10 years, Ontario is investing approximately $320 million and Canada is investing approximately $407 million under the Community, Culture and Recreation Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program.

“Ensuring residents have access to cultural and recreational infrastructure is important for social inclusion and wellbeing. Today’s investment to expand and upgrade the Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto will provide our diverse communities access to a modern and reliable facility where they can enjoy more recreational activities and community events for decades to come. Canada’s infrastructure plan invests in thousands of projects, creates jobs across the country, and builds cleaner, more inclusive communities,” said Scarborough North MP Shaun Chen.