Supporting communities across British Columbia

VICTORIA, BC, Aug. 5, 2021 /CNW/ - The health and safety of all Canadians are top priorities for the Government of Canada. Communities across the country are on the frontline of the COVID-19 pandemic, and need immediate assistance to ensure their public infrastructure is safe and reliable. That is why the Government of Canada is taking decisive action to support communities and stabilize the economy.

Today, the Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, on behalf of the Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, announced that British Columbia has received $293 million through the new Canada Community-Building Fund (CCBF) for the 2021?22 fiscal year, along with a top-up of $280 million. This top-up doubles the amount of money that British Columbia communities received through the program in 2020?21, enabling them to carry out infrastructure projects that support the well-being of their residents.

The CCBF provides communities with stable and flexible funding for their infrastructure priorities across a wide range of categories. For example, in Chilliwack, this source of funding helped rehabilitate 7.7 km of roads and add 3.4 km of bike lanes and numerous sidewalks along 10 separate streets throughout the city. In Merritt, it was used to mitigate the risk of flooding on one of the city's major arterial roads, improve storm water and sewer infrastructure, as well as improve safety for active transportation users. In Prince George, additional improvements were made to the Masich Place Stadium, including repainting the grandstand with an eco-friendly product, widening stairs as well as installing a synthetic turf field, new track and field areas, 1975 feet of perimeter fencing, 36 bucket seats, and railings to improve accessibility and access to sports and recreation for close to 300,000 people within north-central British Columbia.

Fire halls and fire station infrastructure have been added as an investment category for the program. This addition will contribute to the program's objective of building stronger and more resilient communities, particularly in regions that have been so affected by this year's devastating forest fires.

By enabling communities to plan for their current and future needs, and build or improve the infrastructure that will help them thrive through any circumstance, the CCBF is a critical tool that will help ensure British Columbia remains among the best places in the world to live for generations to come.

Quotes

"Our government understands the importance of helping municipalities invest in critical infrastructure like active transportation, public transit, clean drinking water and broadband. That is why we are investing over $573 million through the 2021?22 Canada Community-Building Fund allocation and top-up to support projects across British Columbia that create good jobs, tackle climate and build more inclusive communities."

The Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, on behalf of the Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities.

"The top-up of the Canada Community-Building Fund by the Government of Canada will provide local governments in British Columbia critical infrastructure funding that will directly benefit our communities. The expansion of the program to include fire halls and fire station infrastructure will give more options to local governments for future infrastructure investments in BC."

Councillor Brian Frenkel, President, Union of BC Municipalities

Quick facts

• As of June 29, 2021, the Gas Tax Fund has been renamed the Canada Community-Building Fund. This name change better reflects the program's evolution over time and will not alter or modify the objectives or requirements of the program.
• The Canada Community-Building Fund is a long-term, indexed source of funding for over 3,600 communities across the country. In recent years it has supported thousands of projects annually.
• The CCBF has 19 project eligibility categories, including capacity building, sport infrastructure and broadband. Communities can use the funds immediately for priority projects, bank them for later use, pool the dollars with other communities for shared infrastructure projects, or use them to finance major infrastructure expenditures.

Related products

Backgrounder: British Columbia's 2021?22 federal Canada Community-Building Fund allocations and top-up amounts

Associated links

Prime Minister announces support to help communities create jobs and restart the economy
Government of Canada Resources - Coronavirus disease (COVID 19)
Federal Gas Tax Fund (Canada Community-Building Fund)
Federal Gas Tax Fund in British Columbia
Federal infrastructure investments in British Columbia

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SOURCE Infrastructure Canada