Municipalities to receive gas-tax

Published Friday August 8th, 2008

Eleven municipalities in New Brunswick will make essential improvements to local infrastructure after receiving their first payments under the Canada-New Brunswick Agreement of the Transfer of Federal Gas Tax Revenues and the Provincial Gas Tax Transfer Top-up Fund.

Tobique-Mactaquac MP Mike Allen, on behalf of Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities Lawrence Cannon and Minister of Local Government Carmel Robichaud, made the announcement on Aug. 6.

Two towns and nine villages will receive first payments totalling $1,234,378 from the Gas Tax Fund (GTF). The Government of New Brunswick will add $319,069 for a total of $1,553,447.

These funds will be used by municipalities for environmentally sustainable infrastructure projects, such as water systems; wastewater treatment; community-energy systems; capacity building; and local roads and bridges.

"Clean drinking water and safe local roads and bridges are vital for all New Brunswick residents and are a priority for this government," said MP Allen. "Through gas-tax funding, the governments of Canada and New Brunswick are providing New Brunswickers with the necessary resources to make their communities better places to live, work, and prosper."

Minister Robichaud said assisting municipalities with their local infrastructure is important for the Government of New Brunswick.

"Our government is committed to keep working with municipalities and the federal government to ensure safe and adequate community infrastructure for all New Brunswickers," he added.

The Government of New Brunswick will receive $116.1 million from the GTF from 2005 to 2010, to which it will add $30 million. A further $178.5 million in federal GTF investments will flow to the Province of New Brunswick from 2010 to 2014 for a total of $294.6 million in federal funding for infrastructure projects over nine years.

To receive its first payment under the GTF, each municipality submitted a five-year Capital Investment Plan for review by the province and signed an agreement with the New Brunswick Department of Local Government to implement the plan.

The GTF is a key component of the government's $33-billion Building Canada Plan. In Budget 2008, the Government of Canada announced the Gas Tax Fund will become permanent from 2014, at $2-billion per year. This will facilitate long-term infrastructure planning by municipalities.

In December 2007, the governments of Canada and New Brunswick announced the signing of the Building Canada Framework Agreement. With this agreement, the Government of Canada committed to invest more than $541-million toward infrastructure needs in New Brunswick from 2007 to 2014. This includes the 2010 to 2014 Gas Tax money.

List of Projects:

Aroostook – First Payment of $38,718

The Village of Aroostook will undertake projects under the capacity building, community energy systems and water categories.

Centreville – First Payment of $54,509

The Village of Centreville will undertake projects under the local roads and bridges and wastewater categories.

Bath – First Payment of $60,314

The Village of Bath will undertake projects under the wastewater and water categories.

Baker Brook – First Payment of $61,028

The Village of Baker Brook will undertake projects under the capacity building, community energy systems and water categories.

Rivière-Verte – First payment of $87,214

The Village of Rivière-Verte will undertake projects under the local roads and bridges, water and wastewater categories.

Clair – First Payment of $87,927

The Village of Clair will undertake projects under the wastewater and water categories.

Drummond – First Payment of $94,959

The Village of Drummond will undertake projects under the local roads and bridges, wastewater and water categories.

Sainte-Anne-de-Madawaska – First payment of $119,003

The Village of Sainte-Anne-de-Madawaska will undertake projects under the water and wastewater categories.

Kedgwick – First Payment of $120,634

The Village of Kedgwick will undertake projects under the capacity building, community energy systems, local roads and bridges and water categories.

Saint-Quentin – First Payment of $232,299

The Town of Saint-Quentin will undertake projects under the local roads and bridges, wastewater and water categories.

Grand Falls – First Payment of $596,846

The Town of Grand Falls will undertake projects under the local roads and bridges, wastewater and water categories.

Please Log In or Register FREE

You are currently not logged into this site. Please log in or register for a FREE ONE Account.

Logged in visitors may comment on articles, enter contests, manage home delivery holds and much more online. Your ONE Account grants you access to features and content across the entire CanadaEast Network of sites.