GRAND FALLS, NEW BRUNSWICK–(EMWNews – Aug. 6, 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.

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

The Towns of Grand Falls and Saint-Quentin, as well as the Villages of Aroostook, Baker Brook, Bath, Centreville, Clair, Drummond, Kedgwick, Riviere-Verte and Sainte-Anne-de-Madawaska, will receive first payments totalling $1,234,378 from the Gas Tax Fund (GTF), to which 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; as well as 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.”

“Assisting municipalities with their local infrastructure is important for the Government of New Brunswick,” said Minister Robichaud. “Our government is committed to keep working with municipalities and the federal government to ensure safe and adequate community infrastructure for all New Brunswickers.”

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.

Investment collaboration with provinces and municipalities is a key feature of the federal approach to infrastructure.

The GTF is a key component of the Government’s $33-billion Building Canada Plan. In Budget 2008, the Government of Canada announced that 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 towards infrastructure needs in New Brunswick from 2007 to 2014. This includes the 2010 to 2014 Gas Tax money.

FOR BROADCAST USE:

The governments of Canada and New Brunswick have announced that the Towns of Grand Falls and Saint-Quentin, as well as the Villages of Aroostook, Baker Brook, Bath, Centreville, Clair, Drummond, Kedgwick, Riviere-Verte and Sainte-Anne-de-Madawaska, will undertake essential improvements to local infrastructure after receiving their first payments, of a total of $1,553,447, under the Canada-New Brunswick Agreement on the Transfer of Federal Gas Tax Revenues and the Provincial Gas Tax Transfer Top-up Fund. These New Brunswick municipalities will share and use these funds on environmentally sustainable infrastructure projects such as water systems; wastewater treatment; community-energy systems; capacity building; as well as local roads and bridges.

EDITOR’S NOTE: A list of projects follows.

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.

Riviere-Verte – First payment of $87,214

The Village of Riviere-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.

Total: $1,553,447