Staff
A number of communities, along with both Ponoka County and the County of Wetaskiwin will be seeing some improvements to roads and infrastructure work following an announcement from the federal government that they have doubled funding for the work, which will be funded through the federal gas tax.
“Through Canada’s Economic Action Plan, our government is doubling the annual funding that local municipalities receive as part of the Gas Tax Fund and making up to $1 billion available to municipalities almost three months early,” said Wetaskiwin Member of Parliament Blaine Calkins. “This increased investment will total $6,407,046 in this riding in 2009 and will help create jobs, boost sales for local businesses and improve the quality of life for families during this challenging economic time in our history.”
Among the communities that can expect a healthy increase in gas tax transfers are Bentley which received $29,545 in 2008-09 and will receive $59,054 in 2009-10; Breton, which will see more than double in going from $15,699 to $31,378 next year; Gull Lake from $8,307 to $16,604; Parkland Beach from $5,987 to $11,969 and Rimbey which will see its amount increase from $62,443 in 2008-09 to $124,805 in 2009-10.
As for the counties, Ponoka County will see an increase from $229,041 this year to $457,781 next year and the County of Wetaskiwin from $269,976 to $539,597.
According to a press release supplied by Calkins, the announcement builds on the government’s previous action of providing permanent Gas Tax Fund transfers to municipalities and the doubling of transfers will further help municipalities ensure that their infrastructure in able to meet the future needs of families, workers and businesses.
“Our government is proud to be working with provinces and municipalities to deliver stable, predictable funding for infrastructure that Canadians use and depend on every day,” Calkins added.
The federal gas tax transfers to the provinces and municipalities is expected to double beginning on April 1 of this year and will provide a total of $190,763,000 per year for municipalities to invest in projects such as new roads, water treatment plants, improved buses and transit systems along with sewers and bridges.