Gormley, Ontario - 13 February 2014
Prime Minister Stephen Harper today released important details on the New Building Canada Plan, including support that will ensure small communities have stable, long-term and unprecedented access to funding for vital infrastructure projects. He was accompanied by Denis Lebel, Minister of Infrastructure, Communities and Intergovernmental Affairs and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, and Paul Calandra, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and for Intergovernmental Affairs.
Details released today relate to key elements of the New Building Canada Fund, including dedicated funding for small communities, Provincial-Territorial allocations, project categories eligible for support, cost-sharing thresholds, and public-private partnership (P3) screening requirements.
The new Plan details announced today will provide municipalities, provinces and territories with the information they need to plan public infrastructure projects in their jurisdictions.
The New Building Canada Plan, which will provide significant funding in support for infrastructure in Canada over the next ten years, is expected to launch in spring 2014. The new Plan will support projects that focus on economic growth, job creation and productivity, including building roads, bridges, subways, commuter rail and other public infrastructure that ensures the prosperity of all Canadians.
The program details are the result of the feedback received from provinces, territories and infrastructure partners over the course of 2012 and 2013. Our Government continues to work with partners and stakeholders on outstanding program details, leading to a full New Building Canada Plan launch in the spring.
Our Government is ensuring that taxpayers’ dollars go further under the New Building Canada Plan by cost-sharing infrastructure projects with provinces, territories, municipalities and private partners.
Through the original Building Canada Plan, infrastructure stimulus measures and other infrastructure initiatives, the federal government has supported over 43,000 projects in Canada. Launched in 2007, the original Building Canada plan provided billions in stable, flexible and predictable funding for infrastructure across the country over seven years. The New Plan will build on the success of the original plan.
