Mr. Speaker, the Bloc Quebecois is thrilled that the University of Montreal will have a new elite football team, for the first time in 30 years.
The Carabins will benefit from an investment of close to $2 million in the stadium and artificial surface, of which nearly $1,637,000 came from Quebec's Secrétariat au sport et au loisir.
Francophone students and athletes will now have a football option in Montreal. This alternative will lower costs for the academic year by providing young players with opportunities at home.
University football players and fans will now have a choice. Following the success of Laval's Rouge et Or, Quebec has built a solid inter-university reputation, and the other university teams are looking forward to the arrival of the Carabins on the circuit.