NEWS RELEASE COMMUNIQUÉ

For Immediate Release 2008TRAN0071-001342 Sept. 4, 2008	Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure
CANADA, BRITISH COLUMBIA PARTNER TO IMPROVE HWY 97

FORT ST. JOHN – The Honourable Jay Hill, Secretary of State, Chief Government Whip and MP for Prince George-Peace River, on behalf of the Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, and Richard Neufeld, MLA for Peace River North, today announced $14.8 million in joint funding to support a highway improvement initiative along Highway 97 between Road 271 and Charlie Lake in British Columbia. Federal funding support for the upgrades to Highway 97 comes from the Provincial-Territorial (PT) Base Fund, under the Building Canada plan.

 

             “This investment in upgrades to Highway 97 builds on Prime Minister Stephen Harper and our government’s commitment to improving highway safety across Canada,” said Hill. “Through our Building Canada plan these rural highways continue to be an integral part of the National Highway System, connecting remote communities with larger economic centres.”

 

            The highway improvement will involve creating four lanes along a 3.2-km stretch of Highway 97 (Alaska Highway) from Road 271 to Charlie Lake. The project is expected to be completed by fall 2009.

 

             “By expanding Highway 97, this project is improving safety and providing further opportunity for commercial and tourism growth,” said Neufeld. “I’m pleased to see provincial and federal levels of government working together and investing in this community.”

 

            This initiative is part of a series of announcements taking place in B.C. The Government of Canada and the Province of B.C. will fund up to $231 million worth of National Highway System improvements in the province, under the Building Canada Plan.

 

            Federal funding for these investments comes from the $33-billion Building Canada plan. On Nov. 6, 2007, the Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia signed an Infrastructure Framework Agreement under Building Canada worth $2.2 billion for infrastructure initiatives from 2007 to 2014. The two governments also launched on July 7, 2008, a call for infrastructure initiatives in smaller communities to be funded under this larger plan.

 

 

            For more information on the Building Canada plan, please visit

www.buildingcanada.gc.ca.

 

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Media contact:	Catherine Loubier Director of Communications Office of the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities 613 991-0700	Dave Crebo Communications Director Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure 250 387-7787
	Infrastructure Canada 613 948-1148
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