‘Investments Benefit Municipalities’ – Greg Rickford
OTTAWA – Several Northwestern Ontario communities have benefited from the improvements to their communities with the Gas Tax Fund money from the federal government. This past Tueday at the Association of Municipalities of Ontario’s (AMO) Annual General Meeting and Trade Show, Greg Rickford, Minister of State (Science and Technology, and Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario) and Minister responsible for the Ring of Fire, congratulated the winners of the AMO Gas Tax Awards and discussed how Ontario municipalities are benefiting from the Government of Canada’s Gas Tax Fund and the future of infrastructure funding for the country.
Kenora Mayor, and Northwestern Ontario Municipalities Association President Dave Canfield said Kenora has won an award for its infrastructure project with the Gas Tax money.
“Our Government recognizes that investments in public infrastructure in Ontario benefit municipalities and the country by creating jobs, stimulating economic growth and providing a high quality of life for families in our cities and communities,” said Minister Rickford. “We are continuing our tradition of important infrastructure investments with our Economic Action Plan 2013, in which we are delivering the longest and largest commitment to job-creating infrastructure funding in Canadian history, to ensure the long-term prosperity of our collectivities.”
At the AMO Meetings, both NOMA and the City of Thunder Bay have identified that there are better relations with the federal and provincial governments.
Minister Rickford also spoke to the importance of the federal Gas Tax Fund, which respects municipal decision making around infrastructure, and congratulated the winners of the AMO Gas Tax Awards, which are given to honour municipalities that have demonstrated excellence in the use of Canada’s Gas Tax Fund.
Building on the Government of Canada’s existing infrastructure investments, such as the Gas Tax Fund, Economic Action Plan 2013 includes the $53-billion New Building Canada plan to build roads, bridges, subways, commuter rail, and other public infrastructure in cooperation with provinces, territories, and municipalities over 10 years, starting in 2014-15.
The new plan follows an extensive engagement process with provinces and territories, and the municipal sector including the Association of Municipalities of Ontario and other stakeholders.
Since 2006, the Government of Canada has made unprecedented investments in over 43,000 projects to build roads, bridges, commuter rail and other important public infrastructure across the country. The New Building Canada plan, combined with other federal infrastructure investments, supports Canada’s infrastructure advantage, which is a key enabler of economic growth and job creation.
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