Government of Canada Delivers More Than $29.5 Million to Saskatchewan for Community Infrastructure Projects

REGINA, SASKATCHEWAN--(Marketwired - Aug. 31, 2016) - Infrastructure Canada

Investing in infrastructure is vital to strengthening the middle class and growing the economy for years to come. Modern, efficient community infrastructure contributes to a high quality of life by helping connect people to jobs, improve water systems, and support new business opportunities.

The Government of Canada has now provided Saskatchewan with more than $29.5 million for community infrastructure through the federal Gas Tax Fund (GTF), representing the first of two installments for 2016−17. In total, Saskatchewan will be provided with more than $59.1 million through the fund this year.

Based on planned projects for this year, GTF funding is expected to support over 100 local infrastructure projects. For example, the Rural Municipality of Buckland No. 491 has plans to replace the Paddockwood Bridge, while the Town of Pilot Butte will be working on interrelated wastewater and disaster mitigation projects. From a $8.9 million new sports complex in the Town of Wynyard to funding the installation of a new furnace at the library in the Village of Maymont, no other federal funding program provides communities with as much flexibility and decision making power.

The two GTF installments for this year are in addition to funds made available to Saskatchewan under other existing programs and two new federal funding programs: the Public Transit Infrastructure Fund and the Clean Water and Wastewater Fund. The latter are part of Phase 1 of the 10-year, $120-billion Investing in Canada plan. The Government of Canada is working with Saskatchewan to finalize a bilateral agreement for these new Funds.

Quick Facts

• The GTF has provided over $485 million to Saskatchewan since its introduction in 2005.
• $2 billion is made available nationally each year through two installments.
• The GTF provides Canadian municipalities with a permanent, predictable and indexed source of long-term funding.
• It offers local communities the flexibility to make strategic investments across 18 different project categories, including roads and bridges, public transit, drinking water and wastewater infrastructure, and recreational facilities.
• Communities can use the funds immediately for priority projects, bank the funds for later use, pool the dollars with other communities for shared infrastructure projects or use it to finance major infrastructure expenditures.
• Phase 1 of Investing in Canada provides $11.9 billion in investments to support public transit systems, green infrastructure projects, and social infrastructure projects. Details on Phase 2 of Investing in Canada will be announced over the few months.

Quotes

"The federal Gas Tax Fund allows communities to direct federal dollars to their particular infrastructure priorities across a wide range of project categories. Whether a community needs to expand their recreational centre, repair roads, enhance a wastewater treatment system or make energy-saving upgrades to municipal buildings, this funding offers predictable, reliable and flexible support that reflects the federal government's commitment to investing in infrastructure that makes a real difference in people's lives at the local level."

- The Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities

Related products

Federal Gas Tax Allocations for Saskatchewan communities in 2016−17: http://news.gc.ca/web/article-en.do?nid=1118889

Associated links

The federal Gas Tax Fund: http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/gtf-fte-eng.html

Have your say on infrastructure: www.infraconsults.ca

Investing in Canada, the Government of Canada's new $120 billion infrastructure plan: http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/index-eng.html

Twitter: @INFC_eng

Web: Infrastructure Canada

A Backgrounder is available at the following address: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/SK_GTF_Allocation_Announcement.pdf