Building stronger communities across the Northwest Territories with the federal Gas Tax Fund

News release

Doubling of the federal Gas Tax Fund delivers a boost in the Northwest Territories for 33 communities

August 28, 2019 - Yellowknife, Northwest Territories - Infrastructure Canada

Modern public infrastructure is key to promoting economic growth and developing healthy, sustainable communities. That is why the Government of Canada is renewing its commitment to local governments and First Nations communities through the federal Gas Tax Fund and delivering much needed support for their local priorities. 

The Northwest Territories has received the first of two $8.25 million annual installments of the federal Gas Tax Fund (GTF), along with a top-up of $16.5 million, made available through Budget 2019. This top-up doubles the amount of money for communities in the Northwest Territories, enabling them to carry out infrastructure projects that support the well-being of their residents.

The federal GTF is a long-term, indexed source of funding that allows communities to address their most pressing needs. In the Northwest Territories, many communities use their federal GTF funding for projects that complement water and wastewater infrastructure they’ve built with funding from the Clean Water and Wastewater Fund, like new sewage lagoons and enhancements to water treatment plants and sewage systems. Communities in the territory have also used federal GTF funding to upgrade recreational facilities, install energy systems and increase their fire resiliency.

This predictable funding, enhanced by a doubling of the 2018-19 GTF allocations, as announced in Budget 2019, is allowing local governments and First Nations communities to plan for current and future infrastructure priorities, so they can build the resilient infrastructure of the 21st century that residents deserve, and help ensure that the Northwest Territories remains among the best places in the world to live.

Quotes

“The Government of Canada is proud to deliver this stable, predictable long-term funding that communities rely on to develop their public infrastructure. By working with other orders of government, we are making significant progress and delivering concrete results for all Canadians. From improving roads, water services and energy efficiency, to enhancing recreation and tourism centres, the federal Gas Tax Fund is helping keep families safe, promote economic development and improve people’s quality of life across the country.”

The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities

“The Government of the Northwest Territories is pleased to continue its support of community governments, and to help build funding partnerships with the federal government in developing community infrastructure. This funding helps to support and encourage communities in their goals of safe, resilient and strategic community infrastructure planning. The GNWT looks forward to supporting communities in the implementation of their infrastructure priorities.”

The Honourable Alfred Moses, Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, Government of the Northwest Territories

Quick facts

  • The federal Gas Tax Fund delivers over $2 billion every year to over 3,600 communities across the country. In recent years the funding has supported approximately 4,000 projects each year.

  • To help address the short-term infrastructure priorities of municipalities, local governments and Indigenous communities, Budget 2019 includes a top-up of $2.2 billion to the federal Gas Tax Fund. 

  • The federal Gas Tax Fund is flexible in allowing communities to apply funding to their most pressing local needs. Communities can invest across 18 different project categories, including recreation, water systems and roads. They can also use the funds immediately for priority projects, bank them for later use, pool the dollars with other communities for shared infrastructure projects, or use them to finance major infrastructure expenditures.

  • Through its Investing in Canada plan, the Government of Canada is investing more than $180 billion over 12 years in public transit projects, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, trade and transportation routes, and Canada’s rural and northern communities.

  • The plan includes more than $92 billion for funding such as the Gas Tax Fund and more than $95 billion in new funding for infrastructure programs. 

  • To date, more than 48,000 projects have been approved under the plan and the majority of these projects are either underway, or already completed.

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Contacts

Ann-Clara Vaillancourt
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities
613-697-3778
ann-clara.vaillancourt@canada.ca

Jay Boast
Communications Planning Specialist
Department of Municipal and Community Affairs
Government of the Northwest Territories
867-767-9162 ext. 21044
Jay_boast@gov.nt.ca

Infrastructure Canada
613-960-9251
Toll free: 1-877-250-7154
infc.media-medias.infc@canada.ca
Twitter: @INFC_eng
Web: Infrastructure Canada

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