Prince George, British Columbia, September 4, 2008 - The Honourable Jay Hill, Secretary of State and Chief Government Whip as well as Member of Parliament for Prince George–Peace River, on behalf of the Honour rable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, and Prince George MLAs Shirley Bond, John Rustad and Pat Bell, today announced $30.8 million in joint funding to support a highway improvement initiative along Highway 97 betwee n the Simon Fraser Bridge and Sintich Road in British Columbia. Federal funding support for the upgrades to Highway 97 comes from the Provincial-Territorial (PT) Base Fund, under the Building Canada plan.
"This investment in u pgrades to Highway 97 builds on the commitments of Prime Minister Stephen Harper and our government to improve highway safety across Canada," said MP Hill. "Through our Building Canada plan these rural highways continue to be an integ ral part of the National Highway System, connecting remote communities with larger economic centres."
The highway improvement will involve creating four lanes along a 4.6-km stretch of Highway 97 between the Simon Fraser Bridge and Sint ich Road. The initiative is expected to be completed by Fall 2009.
"This initiative is very important to my constituents. The joint announcement today will allow for increased traffic flow and a safer route for both residents and visito rs," said Prince George-Mount Robson MLA Shirley Bond. "Highway 97 is a significant element in the creation of an effective northern transportation corridor."
"This investment is another example of our province' s commitment to improving northern transportation routes," said Prince George-Omineca MLA John Rustad. "It is great to see what multiple levels of government work can accomplish when working together."
"Improving our infrastructure is great for northern communities," said Prince George North MLA Pat Bell. "Expanding Highway 97 makes for safer travel for commercial vehicles and increases the flow of goods. This initiative is good for Prince George and the North."
This initiative is part of a series of announcements taking place in BC. The Government of Canada and the Province of BC will fund up to $231 million worth of National Highway System improvements in the province, under the Building Canada plan.
Federal funding for these investments comes from the $33-billion Building Canada plan. On November 6, 2007, the Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia signed an Infrastructure Framework Ag reement under Building Canada worth $2.2 billion for infrastructure initiatives from 2007 to 2014. On July 7, 2008, the two governments also launched a call for infrastructure initiatives in smaller communities to be funded under this larger plan .
Catherine Loubier
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities
613-991-0700
Dave Crebo
Communications Director
Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure
250-387-7787
Infrastructure Canada
613-948-1148
