For Release
November 09, 2007
Chilliwack, British Columbia – The federal and
provincial governments will invest $2 million in a new arterial road in
Chilliwack to ease vehicle congestion and reduce greenhouse gases. The
Honourable Chuck Strahl, Minister for Indian Affairs and Northern Development
and Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians and John
Les, MLA for Chilliwack-Sumas, announced the contribution under the Canada-B.C.
Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund (CBCMRIF) today.
“Construction of the Evans Road Connector will benefit the community
by reducing travel times, congestion and idling times associated with
greenhouse gas emissions. It will also improve Chilliwack’s pedestrian
and bicycle network, transit service, emergency response times and overall
commuter safety,” said Minister Strahl, on behalf of the Honourable
Rona Ambrose, President of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada,
Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and Minister of Western Economic
Diversification. “The Government of Canada is working with the Province
of British Columbia to build healthy, safe and prosperous communities
in British Columbia.”
The funding enables the City of Chilliwack to build a 1.2 km arterial
road that connects the Evans Parkway with Ashwell Road, providing an alternative
north-south route to relieve congestion. This project is conditionally
approved pending the successful completion of an environmental assessment.
“Easing congestion and increasing the safety of our roadways is
so important for the people of Chilliwack,” said Les. “This
joint funding initiative helps make it easier for people to move around.”
Under the initial CBCMRIF Agreement signed in June 2006, the federal and
provincial governments each committed $51 million to the fund, with participating
local governments expected to make up the remaining costs. This year,
the Government of Canada and the Province of B.C. have each provided an
additional $23.5 million to the Canada-B.C. Municipal Rural Infrastructure
Fund as part of their commitment to help smaller communities meet their
pressing infrastructure needs. This additional funding brings the total
federal and provincial investment and matching local government contribution
in CBCMRIF projects to over $220 million.
The majority of the funding is targeted towards communities of fewer
than 250,000 people and at least 60 per cent of the funding will assist
with “green projects” such as drinking water supply, treatment
and distribution needs as well as wastewater and energy efficiency projects.
The remaining funds will be dedicated to other projects like tourism,
recreation and other infrastructure.
More details on the program are available through the Canada-British
Columbia Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund website, at www.canadabcmrif.ca.
For additional information, contact:
Karl Yeh
Western Economic Diversification Canada
604 666-4714
Marc Black
B.C. Ministry of Community Services
250 356-6334
