Michael Ignatieff and his pledge to increase the gas tax transfer (although in fairness, the increase is ambiguous at this point).
Ignatieff is going to lean hard on the gas tax to pump up his electoral fortunes with municipal politicians across the country
“We would enable our cities and communities to invest in transit and water systems—and we’d do it by permanently increasing the gas tax transfer. We’d flow money right through the municipalities, to the people on the ground who know where the money is needed most—in community infrastructure. Economic development in our regions depends on building networks of broadband, bridges, and asphalt.”
The funding increase is one thing. But the flow through of these funds straight to the municipalities without federal or provincial bureaucrats in the way might even be bigger than the cash, however.
Let’s give round one to Ignatieff.
It must be noted in advance that Harper doesn’t like the cities and seems to have little time for them fiscally, thereby most likely trumping him from any municipal points awarded throughout the entire fight.
I would like to call your attention to the following. I think you can write better then with generalizations like Stephen Harper does not like Cities…
Canada – British Columbia – UBCM
Sign $1 Billion Gas Tax Agreement
Westbank, British Columbia – Communities across British Columbia will benefit from more than $1 billion from the Gas Tax Fund (GTF) between 2010 and 2014, thanks to an agreement signed today by the Government of Canada, the Province of British Columbia and the Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM). British Columbia is the first province to sign an extension of the Gas Tax Agreement.
The GTF supports environmentally sustainable local government infrastructure projects that lead to cleaner air, cleaner water, or reduced greenhouse gas emissions.
This historic signing will provide the largest-ever federal investment in B.C.’s local government infrastructure. The first phase of the GTF, operating from 2005 to 2010, provides $635.6 million to B.C. communities. The GTF is a component of Building Canada, the federal government’s new long-term infrastructure plan.
The Honourable Stockwell Day, Minister of Public Safety, signed the agreement on behalf of the Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, with Ida Chong, Minister of Community Services for B.C., and Susan Gimse, President of the UBCM. The agreement was signed at an event celebrating the first allocation of gas tax funding to B.C.’s newest municipalities: Westside, Barriere and Clearwater.
“The Government of Canada is delivering on its commitment to provide cities and communities with a stable and predictable source of infrastructure funding,” said Minister Day. “Today, we are recognizing the extension of the Gas Tax Fund until 2014 through this agreement with B.C. and UBCM. British Columbians can also be assured that, beyond 2014, the Gas Tax Fund will permanently provide a stable source of funding, as our government committed in Budget 2008.”
The range of eligible projects funded through the GTF includes public transit, community energy, water, wastewater and solid waste infrastructure improvements. Funding is also available for planning projects that contribute to the sustainability of communities and regions.
“This funding program has been a great success across B.C. for local governments to build infrastructure that supports the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving air and water quality,” said Minister Chong. “This extension will allow B.C.’s communities to delve deeper into these important infrastructure projects to support greener, healthier communities.”
Gas Tax funds are delivered to municipalities in a way that provides them with the flexibility they need to address their infrastructure issues.
“The extension of the Gas Tax Fund provides B.C. local governments with substantial, long term funding for building sustainable communities,” said President Gimse. “This is a significant step towards making the Gas Tax Fund permanent in B.C. and affirms the importance of Canada’s expanding role in funding local government infrastructure.”
Please visit http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca or http://www.civicnet.bc.ca for background information on the Canada – B.C. – UBCM Gas Tax Agreement.
See also the background document “Community Works Fund Allocations, 2010-2014”, which provides allocation figures for eligible B.C. local governments.