Wednesday, March 20, 2019 ~ WEST SHORE.
~ by Mary P Brooke, West Shore Voice News
Mayors across Canada were apparently quite pleased with the one-time doubling of Federal Gas Tax funds for eligible infrastructure projects as announced by Finance Minister Bill Morneau in Budget 2019 yesterday.
Delivery of federal funds into infrastructure projects across the country has not been copious in the past four years, despite federal efforts. One glitch in delivering earmarked federal funding seemed to be in the requirement for municipalities to have funding partnerships with provincial governments. Also, municipal budgets don’t always allow for the preparation of projects (through design and zoning/planning) to have shovel-ready projects available and waiting for funding.
Now municipalities across the country may receive a one-time doubling up of Federal Gas Tax funds for eligible infrastructure project.
The funds will go directly to municipalities without having to be distributed through a provincial government. This likely speeds up delivery of the funds and sidesteps potential conflicts over project priorities.
“They should have given us a larger portion of the tax the federal government already collects,” says Mayor Young. He hopes there will be alignment with infrastructure projects that can and do also receive BC government grants. “It should help get much needed money to our city.”
While concerned that gas prices are already “too high”, Young says it’s still a good way to redirect funds into community infrastructure.
“In Esquimalt we have several projects coming forward as we look at the amenity fund public feedback,” says Desjardin.
“We are also hopeful of our application for a new sport field and multi-purpose building at Esquimalt High which is an application that was submitted by Songhees Nation in partnership with Esquimalt and SD61,” she told West Shore Voice News today.
View Royal Mayor David Screech says he doesn’t know yet what this will mean for View Royal. “But, obviously any increase in funding for infrastructure projects is very welcome!”
In national news coverage yesterday, Edmonton Mayor Don Iveson (who chairs the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Big City Mayors’ Caucus) said mayors are happy with this news of a direct one-time transfer.
“There are always more projects than revenues,” Iveson says, adding that municipalities are “the most effective delivery agent” for getting projects done. Iveson says municipal councils “decide among competing priorities” all the time.
Budget 2019 includes ‘something for everyone’ (March 19, 2019)