MONTREAL – The Reconstruction Office officially opened its doors in Lac-Megantic’s downtown core on Saturday.
The purpose of the office is to support the reconstruction of the downtown area; decimated when a train derailed and exploded in July 2013, killing 47 people.
The office will also support the economic recovery of the town.
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Federal Transport Minister Marc Garneau was at the grand opening, on behalf of Navdeep Singh Bains, the minister of innovation, science and economic development.
Garneau announced that Ottawa will invest $1.9 million into the Reconstruction Office.
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In a written statement, Garneau said the initiative was a “meaningful step towards revitalizing the heart of this community.”
He added that as a Quebecer, the tragedy had “affected him deeply” and he vowed to strengthen rail safety across the country to prevent a similar tragedy from happening again.
WATCH BELOW: Proceedings in the Lac-Mégantic settlement.
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