Supporting communities across British Columbia

News release

June 11, 2020 - Victoria, British Columbia - Infrastructure Canada

The Government of Canada is taking decisive action to support communities and stabilize the economy across Canada, while first and foremost ensuring that the health and safety of all Canadians are protected during this COVID-19 pandemic.  

Today, Infrastructure and Communities Minister Catherine McKenna announced that British Columbia has received $280.4 million through the federal Gas Tax Fund (GTF) for the 2020–21 fiscal year to fund its most pressing infrastructure needs.

The GTF provides communities with stable and flexible funding for their infrastructure priorities across a wide range of categories. For example, in the District of Hudson’s Hope, the GTF supported an award-winning project to install 1,550 solar panels that are providing clean power to 22 local government buildings, reducing their electricity consumption by 60%. The District of Squamish is using its GTF allocation to raise and widen the Squamish River Dike in Brackendale, which will improve protection against earthquakes as well as rising river levels. And Prince George upgraded the Masich Place Stadium so they can host university soccer, high school football and rugby games and championships.

By enabling communities to plan for their current and future needs, and build or improve the infrastructure that will help them thrive through any circumstance, the GTF is a critical tool that will help ensure British Columbia remains among the best places in the world to live for generations to come. 

The Government of Canada will be announcing new measures in the coming weeks and months to help Canadian communities get back on their feet and make them even more resilient in the future.

Quotes

“Our Government is making immediate investments in infrastructure that will play a vital role in helping municipalities and First Nations communities revive their economies, and will improve the lives of Canadians. As a first step, we are accelerating this year’s payment through the federal Gas Tax Fund. In British Columbia, this will put $280.4 million in the hands of 188 communities to improve local infrastructure like drinking water systems, public transit, high-speed broadband, and recreation centres.”

The Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities

“The accelerated delivery of Federal Gas Tax Funding will provide much needed support as local governments implement their capital plans for this construction season. This initiative by the Government of Canada provides greater certainty for communities as we renew and expand critical infrastructure.”

Maja Tait, President of the Union of BC Municipalities

Quick facts

  • The federal Gas Tax Fund is a long-term indexed source of funding for over 3,600 communities across the country. In recent years it has supported thousands of projects annually.

  • The federal Gas Tax Fund has 18 project eligibility categories, including capacity building, sport infrastructure and roads. Communities can 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.

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Contacts

Chantalle Aubertin
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities
613-949-1759
Chantalle.Aubertin@canada.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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