‘Next generation’ of federal infrastructure funding to come by fall: minister | 24CA News
Details on the “next generation” of federal infrastructure funding applications are on observe to be launched this fall, Infrastructure Minister Dominic LeBlanc mentioned after assembly along with his provincial and territorial counterparts in British Columbia.
LeBlanc mentioned Wednesday that the conversations have been a “very positive step in making sure that those programs are the right ones for the whole country, that we have long-term, predictable funding and the flexibility to respond to different priorities.”
That’s after Canada’s premiers wrote a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau final week pushing for extra info on what would change the $33-billion Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program, which has been absolutely allotted as of March.
The letter mentioned provinces, territories and communities are going through unprecedented value pressures on current tasks, whereas the absence of an announcement on this yr’s federal funds has created uncertainty round future infrastructure funding.
LeBlanc mentioned Ottawa is “happy to work with provinces and territories as best as we can” to handle the rising prices of current tasks.
Future applications might want to have “shock absorbers” constructed into the funding system, he mentioned at a news convention in Whistler, B.C. on Wednesday.
To achieve success, the premiers’ letter mentioned future applications would want to maximise each flexibility and predictability by delivering funding on a “base plus per capita basis,” which means the quantity would enhance for extra populous provinces.
It would additionally must help provinces and territories by addressing the “full spectrum” of infrastructure challenges distinctive to every jurisdiction, together with “significant” infrastructure gaps in Arctic and northern areas, the letter mentioned.
While the provinces and territories await particulars on future funding, LeBlanc mentioned tons of of tasks are within the strategy of transferring forward by means of current channels.
“It’s not as if we’re stalled or out of gas or not doing our work,” he mentioned. “We’re very much working together. But we’re conscious that municipalities, provinces and territories and community groups want to know the long-term sequencing.
“I think in the coming months, the details of these programs will become clear.”
B.C. Infrastructure Minister Rob Fleming and his counterparts in Ontario and New Brunswick, Kinga Surma and Jeff Carr, mentioned the discussions had been productive.
The ministers additionally left the conferences in Whistler promising future spending targeted on local weather adaptation, constructing extra properties and financial progress.
They agreed that implementing measures akin to transit-oriented improvement shall be key to reaching these targets, a joint assertion mentioned.
© 2023 The Canadian Press
