Vernon, British Columbia, August 8, 2007 - Colin Mayes, MP for
Okanagan – Shuswap on behalf of the Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister
of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, together with Honourable Tom
Christensen, Minister for Children and Family Development and MLA for
Okanagan-Vernon on behalf of Honourable Ida Chong, Minister of Community
Services, Jerry Oglow, Chair of the Regional District of North Okanagan
(NORD) and Brenda Binnie, President of the Union of British Columbia
Municipalities (UBCM) today announced the approval of almost $2.6 million
from the federal Gas Tax Fund to provide upgrades to solid waste
infrastructure and a new planning process to manage growth and
transportation in the North Okanagan region.
The projects to be funded include a new regional yard waste composting
facility, a residential drop-off facility at the Greater Vernon Landfill,
and a new regional growth strategy and transportation model for the North
Okanagan. Funding for the projects is provided through the Gas Tax
Agreement, which transfers federal gas tax revenue to local government
infrastructure improvements that that result in cleaner air, cleaner water
and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.
"Canada's New Government is proud to partner with the Province of
British Columbia and UBCM to provide funding that will help areas such as
the North Okanagan Regional District meet their infrastructure needs and
contribute to the health of the environment." said MP Mayes.
The regional growth strategy will benefit the North Okanagan by
incorporating integrated sustainability policies and regulations into NORD
land use policies. The growth strategy will also integrate the
inter-regional transportation model to provide a comprehensive
transportation plan for sustainable development in the North and Central
Okanagan regions.
"We know that local government decisions can influence as much as half
of all greenhouse gases generated in the province," said Minister
Christensen. "That's why it is so important that we support projects like
these, helping to make our communities greener, healthier and more
environmentally sustainable."
It is anticipated that the diversion of solid waste from the landfills
will lead to the reduction of greenhouse gases. The waste composting
facility alone is expected to divert more than 11,000 tonnes of waste per
year.
"Today's announcement is clearly a major step that now allows the North
Okanagan Regional District to take a lead role in managing issues of
growth by balancing economic, social and environmental solutions," said
Chair Oglow.
The Gas Tax Fund Agreement is a joint partnership between Canada, BC
and the Union of BC Municipalities that delivers $635 million for green
infrastructure investments and local government capacity building by 2010.
"The Gas Tax Fund is a wonderful example of partnership between the
province, Canada and local governments in B.C.," said President Binnie.
"The federal funding that is being transferred to the NORD will benefit
all the communities in the region."
Canada's New Government is providing $635.6 million to British Columbia
from 2005 to 2010 through the Gas Tax Agreement. As part of its $33
billion "Building Canada" plan, the Government of Canada extended the Gas
Tax Fund by an additional $2 billion per year nationally, from 2010 to
2014. The Gas Tax Agreement is administered in British Columbia by the
Union of BC Municipalities.Please visit http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/
or http://www.civicnet.bc.ca/ for
additional information on the Canada – BC – UBCM Gas Tax
Agreement.
Contacts:
Natalie SarafianPress Secretary to the Honourable Lawrence
Cannon613-991-0700
Anne McKinnonCommunications DirectorMinistry of Community
Services250-953-3677
Infrastructure Canada 613-948-1148 Paul
TaylorRelationships and Communications AdvisorUnion of BC
Municipalities250-356-2938
Brian ReardonAdministratorNorth Okanagan Regional
District250-550-3700
