Question Period Note: JUNO BEACH CENTRE

• The Government of Canada recognizes the importance of the Juno Beach Centre and its mission to honour those who served and sacrificed at Juno Beach and throughout the Second World War.

• The Government of Canada has provided the Juno Beach Centre with approximately $18M since the centre opened its doors. Budget 2024 provided an additional $3.8 million over five years to help the Juno Beach Centre preserve the legacy of all Canadians who served during the Second World War.

• Working with our partners in France, we will protect this area for the long-term, and safeguard this iconic Canadian landmark of remembrance. We will preserve this important site for commemorative purposes and keep alive the achievements and sacrifices of those who served Canada.

BACKGROUND – JUNO BEACH CENTRE

The Juno Beach Centre Association (JBCA) is a Canadian non-profit association that owns and operates the Juno Beach Centre (JBC) in Normandy, France. It opened in 2003 on leased land from the city of Courseulles-sur-Mer.

Since 2002-03, VAC has provided more than $18M in funding to support the JBCA. Most recently, through Budget 2024 an additional $3.8 million over five years is being provided to help the Juno Beach Centre preserve the legacy of all Canadians who served during the Second World War.

On November 4, 2024, the most recent Commemorative Partnership Program Contribution Agreement was finalized and signed off by the Assistant Deputy Minister Commemoration and Public Affairs Veterans Affairs Canada, solidifying a $3.8M over five years contribution outlined in Budget 2024.

Condominium Legal Dispute

Beginning in 2020, the Centre was in a legal dispute with a French property developer (Foncim) who wanted to build a 70-unit residential condo complex called Domaine des Dunes adjacent to the museum. Foncim filed six lawsuits to win access to a private road constructed by JBC, which was the only means of accessing their land. Attempts by the JBC and Courseulles-sur-Mer to resolve the issue with a negotiated buyout were unsuccessful.

A legal decision granted the developer access to JBC’s private road. Although the JBCA appealed issuance of the permit, they were subject to a bailiff notice requiring the removal of all barriers blocking access to the road. Canada has no jurisdiction on land development in France.

In February 2022, Foncim said it would begin construction before September 2022. At the time, the project was estimated to take 22 months.

On March 7, 2022, the JBCA began a SaveJunoBeach.ca letter writing campaign asking Canadians to contact their MPs and other officials about the condo development. The JBCA was also seeking the support of the Government of Canada and VAC to:

• Support the JBCA efforts in France by communicating with French authorities to express Canadians’ concerns about the Domain des Dunes project and its impacts on the Juno Beach Centre.
• Work with the JBCA to raise the funds necessary to purchase the land from Foncim to avoid harm coming to the Juno Beach Centre.
• Support JBCA discussions with the local prefect on opening an investigation into the rezoning of the Foncim property.

On March 24, 2022, Conservative MP Frank Caputo raised the issue of the Juno Beach development during a Member’s Statement in the House. At an ACVA meeting the following day, he put forward a motion objecting to the development plans, expressing support for the Save Juno Beach Campaign in Canada, and calling on the government to provide financial support to the Juno Beach Centre Association.

On April 13, 2022, Minister MacAulay visited the Juno Beach Centre. A meeting to discuss how the Government of Canada could best provide support was attended by representatives of the Juno Beach Centre Association, Veterans Affairs Canada, and the Canadian Embassy in Paris.

While in France, Minister MacAulay also met with the Mayor of Courseulles-sur-Mer and France's Minister Delegate for Remembrance and Veterans. France's Minister Delegate for Remembrance and Veterans committed to holding a follow-up meeting with relevant stakeholders with the goal of finding a solution to the issue.

The Government of Canada was actively engaged with the Juno Beach Centre and partners in France, including the municipal, regional and national French government. Significant progress was made as we worked toward a final solution.

On October 7, 2022, Minister MacAulay confirmed Canada would contribute approximately $4M to help purchase the land adjacent to the Juno Beach Centre.

On December 2, 2022, the Government of Canada’s contribution was provided to the Juno Beach Association to assist with the purchase of the land adjacent to the Juno Beach Centre.

VAC continues to work with the JBCA, the Town of Courseulles-sur-Mer and the Canadian Embassy to ensure appropriate safe-guards are put in place to protect the land into the future.

The long-term lease for the land on which the Juno Beach Centre sits, along with the land adjacent to the Juno Beach Center and the bunkers, was signed on June 21, 2023.

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