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 Saskatchewan has received $62.5 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 Humboldt, the GTF is helping the City upgrade the ball diamonds at Centennial Park, including new fencing, backstops and dugouts, two new ball diamonds, and more parking. The Rural Municipality of Francis No. 127 will upgrade 4.8 kilometres of grid road to bear heavier traffic and move goods more efficiently. Dalmeny is using the GTF to build a storm water retention pond to better manage storm run-off in its industrial area, and the City of Yorkton is undertaking a rehabilitation project that includes a new roundabout intersection, sidewalks and lighted pathways.
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 Saskatchewan 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 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 Saskatchewan, this will put $62.5 million in the hands of more than 760 communities to improve local infrastructure such as water and wastewater infrastructure, recreation centres and roads."
The Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities
Quick facts
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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.
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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.
