Saint John, New Brunswick - The Honourable Greg
Thompson, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Member of Parliament for New
Brunswick Southwest, on behalf of the Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister
of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, together with the Honourable
Shawn Graham, Premier of New Brunswick, and the Mayor of Saint John, Norm
McFarlane, today announced that their governments have each committed up
to $26.6 million to complete the Saint John Harbour Clean Up.
"The clean up of the harbour is a priority project for the city of
Saint John and the people of New Brunswick, and the Prime Minister made it
clear last year that it is also a priority for Canada's New Government,"
said Minister Thompson. "The health of Canadians and the environment will
directly benefit from the harbour clean up."
"We are very pleased that the federal government has joined us and the
City of Saint John in providing funding for this crucial environmental
project," said Premier Graham. "Saint John Harbour Clean Up has been
and continues to be one of our government's top priorities and we look
forward to the project getting under way in a timely manner."
"Harbour Clean Up is and has been the top priority for Common Council
and the citizens of Saint John. I am very thankful for the support that
the Government of Canada has announced today and for the previous support
announced by Prime Minister Harper last year," said Mayor McFarlane. "I
look forward to working with both the federal and provincial governments
to sign the tri-party agreement as soon as possible so the clean up of our
harbour can begin this spring."
The federal investment is in addition to its earlier $2.83 million
contribution announced by Prime Minister Harper in March 2006 under the
Canada-New Brunswick Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund. That investment
is supporting an $8.5 million project for the initial phase to clean up
Saint John Harbour that is cost shared among the Province and the City.
The City of Saint John has one of the oldest municipal water and sewage
systems in North America, and currently releases untreated sewage into the
harbour. Once completed, the proposed clean up project will result in the
elimination of all raw sewage outfalls in Saint John. The clean up
will result in long-term environmental benefits for Saint John, improve
water quality within the harbour and the surrounding creeks and rivers,
and have a positive impact on the region's economy.
Financial support is conditional on meeting applicable federal and
provincial requirements, including the successful completion of
environmental assessments required under the Canadian Environmental
Assessment Act, and the successful negotiation of a contribution
agreement. Officials with the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency will be
the federal lead on this project in support of Infrastructure Canada.
The Government of Canada's contribution is provided through the Canada
Strategic Infrastructure Fund (CSIF), which supports large-scale
infrastructure projects that strengthen areas vital to sustaining economic
growth and enhancing quality of life for Canadians. As well, New Brunswick
communities will benefit from federal infrastructure investments of $116
million over five years through the federal Gas Tax Fund, $9.4 million in
federal public transit funds, $16.5 million for broadband connectivity
across the province, and $135 million for New Brunswick highway and
international border crossing improvements.
Budget 2006 provided an unprecedented level of support for
infrastructure of various types across Canada, including some $16.5
billion over four years.The Budget announced $6.6billion in new
infrastructure funding to support both small and larger scale municipal
infrastructure projects in communities across Canada.
