For immediate release
GATINEAU, Quebec, April 8, 2009 – The Honourable Christian Paradis, Minister of Public Works and Government Services, today announced that his department is investing more than $400 million over two years to repair and renovate PWGSC’s federally owned infrastructure under Canada’s Economic Action Plan and Budget 2009. He also announced that Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) expects to issue contracts for 50 per cent of this year's funding by April 30, 2009.
“Through Canada’s Economic Action Plan, this government is turning our short-term challenges into long-term strengths,” said Minister Paradis. “We are leveraging Budget 2009’s significant investments to accelerate the rehabilitation of important federal buildings and bridges; creating a lasting legacy of sound infrastructure and creating jobs right across the country.”
“Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures and we are ensuring these projects get off the ground as quickly as possible while providing taxpayers with the accountability and transparency they expect and deserve,” added the Minister.
PWGSC is investing in a wide array of important infrastructure projects – the rehabilitation and restoration of government-owned bridges and buildings, improving accessibility of federal buildings, and planning for the future of the Manège militaire. The Department will complete the projects over the next two years, helping to create jobs and stimulate the economy across Canada.
Since the tabling of Budget 2009 in late January, PWGSC has been working with its partners to establish plans across the country for hundreds of infrastructure projects – both large and small – to be put into motion beginning early April.
Under its Economic Action Plan, the Government of Canada is investing $12 billion in new infrastructure funding for roads, bridges, broadband Internet access, electronic health records, laboratories and border crossings across Canada.
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For further information please contact:
Mary-Ann Dewey-Plante
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister Paradis
613-218-6961
Media Relations
Public Works and Government Services Canada
819-956-2315
PWGSC news releases are also available on our Internet site at: http://www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/medias-media/index-eng.html.
BACKGROUNDER
PWGSC’s Role in the Economic Action Plan
On January 28, the Canadian Government tabled a comprehensive budget plan to stimulate economic growth, restore confidence and support Canadians through the recession. The federal government is investing almost $12 billion into new infrastructure funding for roads, bridges, broadband Internet access, electronic health records, laboratories and border crossings across the country.
As part of the plan, investments totalling over $400 million will be made over the next two years to renew federal public infrastructure. Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) will manage these projects.
Some key areas of the Accelerated Infrastructure Program include:
- National infrastructure projects that will repair and restore real property assets throughout Canada, including buildings housing government departments and federal structures such as the Parliament Buildings. Repair and restoration work funded through the stimulus package is slated to begin in buildings across Canada in April 2009.
- Enhancing accessibility of federal buildings to ensure that Canadians have barrier-free access to government buildings. The focus will be on projects that can immediately be implemented, such as exterior routes, visitor parking, drinking fountains and tactile signs and intermediary readiness projects such as interior doors and corridors, building entrances, interior/exterior ramps, stairways and existing washrooms. Budget 2009 provides $40 million over the next two years for these enhancements.
- Repairing and restoring four federal bridges: the LaSalle Causeway in Kingston, Ontario; the Burlington Lift Bridge in Burlington, Ontario; and two bridges in the national capital region. Budget 2009 provides up to $40 million over the next two years for the rehabilitation and repair to these bridges.
- Planning for the future of the historic Le Manège militaire in Quebec City, which was destroyed by fire in 2008. Budget 2009 has set aside $2 million to hold public consultations and establish a future plan for the armoury. Part of the funding will be allocated for environmental review of the site and decontamination of the land, if required.
Additional work will be identified on a regular basis. Existing contractual arrangements will allow PWGSC to move quickly on projects identified by the program and work will follow once contracts are tendered.
Also, much of the funding received by other departments will involve PWGSC’s services, particularly in the areas of procurement, real property and translation.
These projects will stimulate the economy and create jobs for Canadians. Since federal assets are located across the country, it is anticipated that this initiative will allow for economic stimulus in a manner that will have an impact in all regions of Canada.
