Following a promise made in 2012 by Régis Labeaume, Mayor of Quebec City, during a UNESCO mission in Port-au-Prince accompanied by Michaëlle Jean https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-7262-haiti-reconstruction-important-delegation-led-by-michaelle-jean.html to rebuild a modern fire station in the capital, to replace the heavily damaged by the earthquake of January 2010; According to the study in December 2013, of the needs and the implementation of plans by architects from Quebec City in collaboration with the Fire Department; Quebec City had formulated a funding request to the federal government for the construction of this modern infrastructure, valued at $2 million. Tuesday, January 13, 2015, three years later, that promise will finally materialize.

Tuesday, the Minister of International Development and La Francophonie, the Honourable Christian Paradis, held a press conference today to announce Canada’s support for the Sustainable Strengthening of Haitian Firefighters’ Response Capabilities project, which will be implemented by the city of Québec.

Minister Paradis was accompanied by the Mayor of Québec, Régis Labeaume, and other partners who will help to ensure the project’s success. The Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean added her voice of support to those of Minister Paradis and Mayor Labeaume via a video message.

This project will reduce the vulnerability of Port-au-Prince residents to fire through the rebuilding of the municipal fire station and by offering training to its staff.

"The Port-au-Prince fire station, which was seriously damaged by the earthquake, is critically important to the security of the population in a country where natural disasters happen so frequently [...] We are proud that Canadian expertise is once again being shared to improve security and to save lives in Haiti," declared Minister Paradis.

"Today, we are fulfilling an engagement taken in December 2012, following a mission to Haiti," reminded Quebec City Mayor. "Since 1995, the city of Québec has been collaborating with Haiti through the presence of police officers and firefighters assigned to various mandates. By drawing on our expertise in the area of the planning and construction of effective fire stations, this new project aims to ensure the security of the most vulnerable populations of Port-au-Prince."

"Port-au-Prince’s firefighters, who showed remarkable bravery during the 2010 earthquake, still find themselves in extremely precarious facilities today. They are currently unable to intervene effectively during an emergency because they lack the appropriate equipment, which poses a major risk to public safety in the capital. I am pleased that finally, thanks to support from the Government of Canada and the city of Québec, the people of Port-au-Prince will soon have not only a high-quality fire station, but also a firefighter training program that will be duplicated across the country," declared the Secretary General of the Francophonie Michaëlle Jean.

See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-8800-haiti-reconstruction-the-mayor-of-quebec-keeps-its-promises.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-7586-haiti-security-reconstruction-project-of-the-fire-station-of-port-au-prince.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-7262-haiti-reconstruction-important-delegation-led-by-michaelle-jean.html

HL/ PI/ HaitiLibre