FUNDING FOR DUNCAN INFRASTRUCTURE, PUBLIC SAFETY

DUNCAN – The Honourable Vic Toews, president of the Treasury Board, along with Minister of Small Business, Technology and Economic Development Ida Chong, on behalf of Minister of Community Development Kevin Krueger, today announced joint provincial and federal funding to the City of Duncan to plant trees, enhance local infrastructure and invest in public safety projects.

“Our Conservative Government is taking action to create jobs for Canadians,” said Toews. “Our government’s partnership with the Province for the Towns for Tomorrow and Local Motion projects clearly demonstrates our commitment to strengthen British Columbia’s economy and ensure jobs for its citizens.”

“The Province is committed to developing and maintaining strong partnerships with local governments and the Government of Canada to ensure communities have the tools they need to achieve their visions for the future,” said Chong. “These partnerships are integral to the strength and economic resilience of British Columbia.”

Today’s announcement includes:

· $400,000 in federal and provincial Towns for Tomorrow funding for the Craig Street downtown revitalization project to upgrade one of the city’s core streets and create a more liveable, vibrant and sustainable downtown. Work will consist of removing the existing roadway and restoring the pavement, reducing a two-lane road to one-lane, construction of a new drainage system plus curb and sidewalk replacement.

· $275,442 in federal and provincial LocalMotion funding for the Centennial Park project, revitalizing the park’s amenities including a proposed water play park, new playground and pedestrian trail linkages. The trails through Centennial Park form part of the Trans Canada Trail and link the urban core to the surrounding countryside and CPR Rail Corridor.

· $6,096 from Trees for Tomorrow to enhance the Centennial Park redevelopment project.

· $701,891 through the first instalment of the Province’s Strategic Community Investment Fund, a restructuring of provincial grant programs to give communities more funding sooner, including:

o $685,365 in Small Community Grants to support provision of basic services.

o $16,526 in Traffic Fine Revenue Sharing to help enhance policing and community-based safety programs.

· $10,000 from the Infrastructure Planning Grant Program to support the Duncan Warm Lands Energy Initiative: Renewable Energy Infrastructure Assessment project.

· $1,189 from the Climate Action Revenue Incentive Program – equal to 100 per cent of the carbon tax paid as part of direct expenditures on fossil fuels. Duncan is one of the more than 175 communities that have signed the Climate Action Charter committing to becoming carbon neutral by 2012.

The Towns for Tomorrow and LocalMotion projects are part of an overall $14-billion capital infrastructure program supported by the Province that will create up to 88,000 jobs and help build vital public infrastructure in every region of B.C.

Beyond this funding announcement, the Government of Canada is taking important steps to support economic growth. Canada’s Economic Action Plan, announced in Budget 2009, is a balanced stimulus plan that includes massive investments in infrastructure, tax relief and transfers. This plan will provide close to $12 billion in new infrastructure stimulus funding over two years which will address needs in communities across Canada, as well as contributing to long-term economic growth through investments in public infrastructure, such as roads, water treatment, green energy and transit.

BACKGROUNDER

Towns for Tomorrow is a five-year, $71-million program that helps smaller communities and regional districts with infrastructure projects. Towns for Tomorrow provides up to 80 per cent of funding for communities under 5,000, to a maximum of $400,000, and 75 per cent of funding for communities up to 15,000, to a maximum of $375,000. As a result of a commitment on the part of all levels of government to accelerate the disbursement of infrastructure funding to stimulate the economy and meet the needs of communities, the federal government is proudly supporting the Towns for Tomorrow program. To learn more, go to www.townsfortomorrow.gov.bc.ca.

LocalMotion is a four-year, $40-million program helps communities to build capital projects like bike paths, walkways and greenways, helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and making communities more senior- and disability-friendly. The program provides local governments up to 50 per cent funding for approved projects up to a maximum contribution of $1 million. As a result of a commitment on the part of all levels of government to accelerate the disbursement of infrastructure funding to stimulate the economy, the federal government is proudly supporting the LocalMotion program. For more information, visit www.localmotion.gov.bc.ca online.

Strategic Community Investment Fund: Through a restructuring of provincial grant programs, communities will see more funding sooner, giving them greater certainty and improved financial flexibility. Payments will be made on the basis of Strategic Community Investment Agreements with local governments. The first $133-million instalment on this two-year, $232-million initiative consists of the Traffic Fine Revenue Sharing Program and Small Community and Regional District Grants.

Trees for Tomorrow is a five-year, $13-million program that is supporting community organizations, First Nations and local governments in urban and rural areas in planting four million trees in the public areas of cities, towns, villages and regional districts throughout B.C. In its first year, the program is providing approximately $3 million to support the planting of trees and the implementation of other energy-saving initiatives across British Columbia. The initiative, first announced in the 2008 speech from the throne, involves cost-sharing with a range of applicants and stewardship organizations. To learn more, visit www.treesfortomorrow.gov.bc.ca

Small Community and Regional District Grants: $70 million of the initial $133-million payment under the Strategic Community Investment Fund will support local governments this year as part of the Province’s continuing commitment to help provide services in areas with smaller tax bases. The grant allocation takes into account three elements: basic funding for all municipalities with a population of less than 15,000, population-based funding, and property assessment-based funding. This year’s payment fulfils the Province’s commitment to double these grants over four years.

The Traffic Fine Revenue Sharing Program: Of the initial $133-million payment under the Strategic Community Investment Fund, $63 million will help municipalities enhance policing and community-based public safety programs. The Province has provided 100 per cent of net traffic fine revenues to local governments since 2004, amounting to an additional $206 million. Traffic fine revenue comes from fines on violation tickets, and the amount a municipality receives is based on its contribution to total municipal policing costs.

The Infrastructure Planning Grant Program is providing over $660,000 to help municipalities and regional districts with plans to design, develop and manage sustainable infrastructure. Through the program, local governments can receive up to $10,000 in grant funding. Often these grants fund studies that help communities apply for infrastructure project funding. For example, almost half the projects submitted to the Canada-B.C. Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund (MRIF) for funding were initiated with infrastructure planning grants.

The Climate Action Revenue Incentive Program helps communities that have committed to the goal of becoming carbon neutral in their corporate operations by 2012, under the BC Climate Action Charter. The program provides local governments with grants to offset 100 per cent of the carbon tax they have directly paid for fossil fuel purchases.

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Media contact:	Public Affairs Bureau Ministry of Community Development 250 387-4089	Chris Day Press Secretary Office of Canada's Transport and Infrastructure Minister 613 808-8191

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