INFORMATION BULLETIN
For Immediate Release 2006ECD0021-000826 June 21, 2006	Ministry of Economic Development Infrastructure Canada Union of B.C. Municipalities
CANADA AND B.C. SIGN INFRASTRUCTURE AGREEMENT

VANCOUVER – The governments of Canada and British Columbia have signed a new infrastructure agreement that will provide $102 million in combined funding, over the coming year, to projects in communities across B.C.

 

Under the Canada-British Columbia Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund agreement, the federal and provincial governments will each commit $51 million, and participating local governments are expected to match this amount, for a total benefit to British Columbia of over $150 million. The federal and provincial governments and the Union of B.C. Municipalities will jointly implement the agreement.

 

A minimum of 80 per cent of funding will be targeted toward communities with a population under 250,000 people. At least 60 per cent of funding will assist with “green” projects helping rural communities and towns address drinking water supply, treatment and distribution needs; improve local wastewater and storm-water sewage treatment; enhance public transit and support environmental energy improvements. Up to 40 per cent of the remaining funding will support local roads, culture, tourism, recreation and connectivity projects.

 

Details on how B.C. communities can apply for funding are expected to be made available later this summer. It is anticipated all of the funding from this agreement will be committed within the next year.

 

            In addition, the Province of B.C. and Government of Canada look forward to negotiations in the coming months on a new, longer-term agreement to allow British Columbia communities to access the new $2.2 billion in national funding identified in the 2006 federal budget for the Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund.

 

The Canada-British Columbia Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund agreement is available online at http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/mrif

 

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Media contact:	Infrastructure Canada Communications and Promotion 613 948-1148	Rena Kendall-Craden B.C. Ministry of Economic Development 250 952-0152
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