For Release
April 19, 2006
Medicine Hat, Alberta – Urban and rural
municipalities in Alberta will see an improvement and increase in
their public infrastructure as a result of a $176 million investment
by the Governments of Canada and Alberta.
The federal and provincial governments will each contribute $88
million to the Canada-Alberta Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund
(CAMRIF) – a joint initiative that will help Alberta communities
improve local roads, drinking water systems and other municipal
infrastructure. With matching municipal contributions, the fund
is expected to reach a total value of $264 million.
The fund was announced by the Honourable Monte Solberg, Minister
of Citizenship and Immigration, on behalf of the Honourable Lawrence
Cannon, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, and
Rick Casson, MP for Lethbridge, on behalf of the Honourable Carol
Skelton, Minister of National Revenue and Minister of Western Economic
Diversification, together with the Honourable Ty Lund, Minister
of Alberta Infrastructure and Transportation and the Honourable
Rob Renner, Minister of Municipal Affairs, with representatives
from the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association (AUMA) and the
Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties (AAMD&C).
“This agreement is based on collaboration among municipal,
provincial and federal governments and will ensure that local communities
have input into the decision-making process,” said Minister
Solberg, on behalf of Minister Cannon.
“This investment will improve local roads, enhance water
quality and waste management, and assist rural and smaller urban
communities to better plan their futures. These investments will
result in healthier communities and an improved quality of life
for all residents,” added Mr. Casson on behalf of Minister
Skelton.
Eighty per cent of CAMRIF investments will be directed to projects
that benefit municipalities with populations of less than 250,000,
with the remaining 20 per cent earmarked for Calgary and Edmonton
projects. At least 55 per cent of the funding available under the
agreement will go to “green” projects that improve the
quality of the environment and contribute to cleaner air, soil and
water, with a minimum of 26 per cent allocated to water and wastewater
projects.
“All Alberta communities, whether large, small or remote,
will be able to share in the benefits of this new partnership,”
said Minister Lund. “We welcome the opportunity to join once
again with our federal and municipal partners – as we did
under the Infrastructure Canada-Alberta Program – to provide
enhanced infrastructure for this province.”
“We are pleased to be a partner in this unique initiative
that supports Alberta’s rural and urban municipalities in
responding to the needs of their residents,” said Minister
Renner. “This is an important and significant investment that
contributes to shaping sustainable communities where people want
to live and work, now and into the future.”
Eligible projects under the CAMRIF include water and sewage treatment,
solid waste management, public transit and energy improvements to
municipal buildings. The fund also supports better roads and bridges,
cultural, recreational and tourism projects and improved broadband
Internet access. Projects will be selected on a competitive basis
from applications received from Alberta communities.
“This is a significant announcement for our members, one
we have been looking forward to for some time,” said Donald
W. Johnson, President of the Alberta Association of Municipal Districts
and Counties . “Progressive initiatives like CAMRIF will help
to address the critical infrastructure deficit that currently exists
in rural Alberta.”
“The Alberta Urban Municipalities Association (AUMA) is committed
to developing financially sustainable, environmentally responsible,
socially inclusive and culturally vibrant communities,” said
AUMA President Bob Hawkesworth. “This funding will help Alberta
municipalities continue to ensure a good quality of life for future
generations of residents.”
CAMRIF builds on the Government of Canada’s $5 billion over
five years in gas tax funding across Canada. Other infrastructure
funds include the $4 billion Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund
and the $600 million Border Infrastructure Fund. Investments through
these funds have gone into many Alberta infrastructure projects
For more information on Government of Canada’s infrastructure
programs, visit www.infrastructure.gc.ca
.
More details on the Government of Alberta’s infrastructure
programs are available at www.infratrans.gov.ab.ca
.
Municipalities seeking more information should contact:
Canada-Alberta Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund Joint Secretariat
by phone (toll free) at 1-800-396-0214, by e-mail at: camrif@gov.ab.ca
or visit the Web site www.camrif.ca
.
For additional information, contact:
Donna Kinley
Communications Manager
Western Economic Diversification Canada
Edmonton, Alberta
Tel: (780) 495-6892
Amy Ringdahl
Office of the Minister of National Revenue and Minister of Western Economic Diversification
Tel: (613) 996-9331
Bart Johnson
Director of Communications
Alberta Infrastructure and Transportation
(780) 415-1841
Jay O’Neill
Director of Communications
Alberta Municipal Affairs
(780) 427-8862
Huguette Guilhaumon
Director of Communications
Minister Cannon’s Office
(613) 991-0700
Infrastructure Canada
Communications and Promotion
(613) 948-1148
WD Toll-Free Number:
1 888 338-WEST (9378)
Web Site: WD is online at
www.wed.gc.ca.
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Backgrounder
Canada-Alberta Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund (CAMRIF)
The Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund (MRIF) is a $1 billion
national initiative that supports the Government of Canada’s
commitment to ensure that Canadian communities, large and small,
are sustainable, economically competitive and great places to live.
The CAMRIF program will bring a total federal and provincial investment
of up to $176 million for municipal infrastructure in Alberta. Municipal
contributions could bring the total value of the fund to $264 million.
CAMRIF has set the following funding targets:
Fifty-five per cent for green projects. Green projects include
water, wastewater, solid waste, public transit and environment
energy improvements;
Eighty per cent will be committed to projects implemented in
areas served by local governments having populations of less than
250,000;
Twenty per cent will be committed to projects implemented in
the City of Calgary and the City of Edmonton;
At least twenty-six per cent will be allocated to water and
wastewater projects, including joint and regional water and wastewater
projects, in areas served by local governments having populations
of less than 250,000;
At least 26 per cent will be allocated to transportation projects
which support tourism and commerce, specifically local roads and
bridges, and specialized transit in areas served by local governments
having populations of less than 250,000;
Up to 26 per cent will be allocated to solid waste, environmental
energy improvement, recreation, cultural, tourism, and connectivity
projects;
Other eligible project categories include cultural, recreational
and tourism infrastructure; and
Up to 1 per cent of the fund will be set aside to help municipalities
improve and increase their capacity to manage their infrastructure
assets and encourage a more efficient and sustainable approach
to managing infrastructure.
Projects funded under CAMRIF should be completed by March 31, 2010.
Local input and collaboration
Municipalities can now visit the Web site www.camrif.ca to find
all the information they need to apply for projects.
CAMRIF will be managed by a six member Management Committee consisting
of two members appointed by Canada, two members appointed by Alberta,
and two members representing Alberta’s municipal associations
— one to be appointed by the Alberta Urban Municipalities
Association, and one to be appointed by the Alberta Association
of Municipal Districts and Counties. The Management Committee will
develop the Management Committee guidelines and oversee the project
review and selection process. Projects will be selected on a competitive
basis from applications received from Alberta communities. It is
expected that the deadline to submit applications for the first
intake will be July 31, 2006.
Environmental Assessment
CAMRIF projects will be required to successfully complete applicable
environmental assessment processes, and funding will be conditional
on compliance with all applicable federal and provincial requirements.
The Canada-Alberta Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund (CAMRIF)
program is designed to operate within Alberta, alongside the Canadian
Strategic Infrastructure Fund (CSIF), which address larger infrastructure
needs, primarily in urban areas. The TransCanada Highway improvements
at Banff National Park as well as the Calgary and Edmonton Ring
Road projects are funded under the CSIF.
