Supporting communities across Nova Scotia
News release
Halifax, July 16, 2021— The health and safety of all Canadians are top priorities for the Government of Canada. Communities across the country are on the frontline of the COVID-19 pandemic, and need immediate assistance to ensure their public infrastructure is safe and reliable. That is why the Government of Canada is taking decisive action to support communities and stabilize the economy.
Today, the Honourable Bernadette Jordan, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard and Member of Parliament for South Shore—St. Margarets, on behalf of the Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, and the Honourable Brendan Maguire, Minister of Municipal Affairs, announced that Nova Scotia has received more than $58 million through the new Canada Community-Building Fund (CCBF) for the 2021–22 fiscal year, and will soon receive a top-up of over $55 million. This top-up doubles the amount of money that Nova Scotia communities received through the program in 2020-21, enabling them to carry out infrastructure projects that support the well-being of their residents. Andy Fillmore, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, was also in attendance.
The CCBF provides communities with stable and flexible funding for their infrastructure priorities across a wide range of categories. For example, the County of Antigonish was able to go green with renewable energy solutions through a municipal solar photovoltaic project. Thanks to federal funding, the Municipality of the District of Barrington is supporting local tourism by investing in the North East Point Boardwalk.
As of June 29, 2021, what was once known as the Gas Tax Fund has been renamed the Canada Community-Building Fund. This name change better reflects the program’s evolution over time and will not alter or modify the objectives or requirements of the program.
Fire halls and fire station infrastructure have been added as an investment category for the program. This addition will contribute to the program’s objective of building stronger and more resilient communities.
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 CCBF is a critical tool that will help ensure Nova Scotia remains among the best places in the world to live for generations to come.
Quotes
“Cities and towns know best what their communities need – where the gaps are and how best to resolve them. That’s why the federal government is partnering with Nova Scotia to invest in our municipalities through the Canada Community-Building Fund (CCBF). These funds will build up our communities by improving public transit, roads, broadband access and more. When we work together, we get great things done for Nova Scotians.”
The Honourable Bernadette Jordan, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard and Member of Parliament for South Shore—St. Margarets, on behalf of the Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities
"Modern, reliable infrastructure is important to help ensure our communities are vibrant and healthy. This funding will allow municipalities to invest in public infrastructure that addresses local priorities. The last 18 months have been hard on Nova Scotia's economy. This investment helps municipalities kick start projects that contribute to economic growth and job creation."
The Honourable Brendan Maguire, Minister of Municipal Affairs
“Since municipalities are responsible for most of our core public infrastructure, this extra helping of funding from the CCBF will allow local governments to invest in priority infrastructure projects, which are critical to delivering essential services in our communities, and supporting the economy and a good quality of life for residents. As the government closest to the people, funding opportunities such as this allow municipalities to be leaders in rebuilding our communities as we work through the impacts of the pandemic.”
Amanda McDougall, Acting President, Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities
“Doubling this fund demonstrates a serious commitment to municipalities and the role they continue to play in COVID economic and social recovery and in building the kinds of communities where people want to live.”
His Worship Mike Savage, Mayor of the Halifax Regional Municipality
Quick facts
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The Canada Community-Building 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.
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The CCBF has 19 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
Emelyana Titarenko
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities
873-355-9576
emelyana.titarenko@infc.gc.ca
Krista Higdon
Communications Advisor
Government of Nova Scotia
902-220-6619
krista.higdon@novascotia.ca
Infrastructure Canada
613-960-9251
Toll free: 1-877-250-7154
Email: media@infc.gc.ca
Twitter: @INFC_eng
Web: Infrastructure Canada
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