The Federal Gas Tax Fund at Work in Alberta

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - July 31, 2015) - Infrastructure Canada

The Government of Canada is proud to announce that the first installment of the annual allocation of the federal Gas Tax Fund has been made available to Alberta municipalities. The annual $2-billion federal Gas Tax Fund allocation will provide over $208.6 million in 2015-2016 to help Alberta communities build and rehabilitate their infrastructure.

Every year, municipalities benefit from the support and flexibility of the federal Gas Tax Fund. They can pool, bank and borrow against this funding, providing significant financial flexibility to plan infrastructure projects over the long term. Projects are chosen locally and prioritized according to the infrastructure needs of each community.

Since 2006, municipalities across Alberta have benefited from over $1.4 billion towards funding for local infrastructure priorities under the Fund.

Between 2014 and 2024, Alberta municipalities will receive an estimated $2.27 billion in new federal infrastructure funding through the Gas Tax Fund.

Quick Facts

• To date, $15 billion has been made available to Canadian municipalities through the federal Gas Tax Fund, with close to $22 billion flowing over the 10 year duration of the renewed agreements.
• On average, the federal Gas Tax Fund supports 400 projects per year across Alberta, such as:
  • The renovations to the Helen Schuler Nature Centre in Lethbridge;
  • The upgrades to St. Paul's wastewater treatment facility;
  • The upgrades to two major thoroughfares in Leduc County; and
  • The completion of the Tuscany C-Train Station in Calgary.

Quotes

"Since 2006, the Government of Canada has doubled the Gas Tax Fund to $2 billion annually, made it a permanent source of funding for municipalities, and indexed its growth a 2% per year. This year, Alberta municipalities will get almost $209 million to refresh and rebuild roads, public transit, parks, and other local priorities. And, between 2014 and 2024 Alberta municipalities will receive an estimated $2.27 billion from the Gas Tax Fund."

The Honourable Jason Kenney, Minister of National Defence and Minister of Multiculturalism

"Since 2006, our Government has been investing in infrastructure projects that strengthen the economy and contribute to healthier, more sustainable communities across the country. Through the federal Gas Tax Fund, we are ensuring that Alberta municipalities can continue to develop and rehabilitate their public infrastructure to create jobs today and pave the way for growth and prosperity in the future."

The Honourable Rona Ambrose, Minister of Health

Associated Links

To learn more about the federal Gas Tax Fund visit: http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/gtf-fte-eng.html.

For additional information on the New Building Canada Plan, visit: http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/plan-eng.html.

To learn more about the Government of Canada's focus on jobs and the economy consult Canada's Economic Action Plan: http://www.budget.gc.ca/2015/home-accueil-eng.html.