THUNDER BAY – “Today, we have extended the deadline for completion of Economic Action Plan infrastructure projects by one full construction season, to October 31, 2011,” said Prime Minister Stephen Harper, speaking on Thursday. “This will allow sufficient time for completion of the remaining projects.”
The one-time extension is expected to allow sufficient time for virtually all the remaining projects to be completed, at no additional cost to the Federal Government. In order to qualify for this extension, work must have begun on the project and it must have incurred eligible costs before March 31, 2011. The extension applies to projects funded under the Infrastructure Stimulus Fund, the Building Canada Fund Communities Component Top-Up, the Recreational Infrastructure Canada Program or the Knowledge Infrastructure Program.
The news has been received well by the Northern Ontario Municipal Association (NOMA).
NOMA applauds the federal government on its announcement that the deadline for completion of Economic Action Plan infrastructure projects will be extended to October 31, 2011.
“NOMA has worked in concert with the Association of Municipalities of Ontario and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities in advocating to the Federal Government for this deadline extension,” says Dennis Brown, NOMA Acting President. “We are extremely pleased that the Federal and Provincial Governments have recognized the importance of ensuring completion of these projects in the 2011 construction season without additional cost to our municipalities and citizens.”
“Canada’s Economic Action Plan is working,” said Harper. “Our Government expects that nearly 90 per cent of infrastructure projects will be done by the ambitious deadline that we set out.”
Since July 2009, more than 420,000 net new jobs have been created across Canada and about 23,000 projects are underway or completed. The Government has provided $16 billion to modernize public infrastructure, including roads, bridges, water, parks, transit and recreational facilities.
While the vast majority of infrastructure projects are expected to be completed by the ambitious two-year deadline (March 31, 2011) set out by the Government, a small percentage of projects have been delayed for a variety of reasons, according to the Government.