News Release Archive
HOUSING/MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS--MINISTER VOICES CONCERNS
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Housing and Municipal Affairs Minister Guy Brown will press
Ottawa for a long-term infrastructure program. The minister plans
to raise this issue at the 1997 Conference of the Provincial and
Territorial Ministers Responsible for Local Government, being
held in St. John's, Nfld., Sept. 3-5.
"The current federal-provincial infrastructure program is due to
expire in 1999," said Mr. Brown. "Given the benefits that have
been derived from this program, there should be a new long-term
arrangement for infrastructure development. I am pleased that the
ministers have agreed to request the federal government to
undertake a third program."
Nova Scotia supports a new national infrastructure program to
address the deteriorating condition of municipal and provincial
infrastructure and with the flexibility to meet the strategic
provincial needs, the minister said.
"A long-term program would give the municipalities time to plan,"
he said. "This is what they have been asking for. The top-up to
the original program will fund $42.6 million worth of projects in
Nova Scotia. So far we have received over $189 million worth of
requests. The need for another program is definitely there."
The Infrastructure Works Agreement gives priority to core
infrastructure projects such as sewer and water. The original
1994 agreement, which will be completed March 31, 1998, has
directly employed approximately 4,200 Nova Scotians through 323
projects. The $207-million program was funded equally by the
federal, provincial and municipal governments.
"This could never have been achieved without three levels of
government working together. We are serving the one taxpayer,"
said Mr. Brown. "I thank the federal government for this
initiative and encourage them to consider a third program to
help our urban and rural communities."
Other topics on the agenda at the St. John's conference include
municipal restructuring, intermunicipal co-operation and the
federal devolution of CMHC housing.
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Contact: Guy Brown
Housing and Municipal Affairs
709-726-4980
Michelle Whelan, information officer
Housing and Municipal Affairs
902-424-6336
ngr September 4, 1997 12:10 pm
