Canada and Saskatchewan making significant investments to improve the lives of residents

New agreement signed to support infrastructure projects and strengthen communities across the province

REGINA, Oct. 3, 2018 /CNW/ - The Governments of Canada and Saskatchewan are working together to make long-term infrastructure investments that will create jobs, boost the economy and enhance people's quality of life.

Today, the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, and the Honourable Gordon Wyant, Minister Responsible for SaskBuilds, were joined by the Honourable Ralph Goodale, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, and the Honourable Warren Kaeding, Minister of Government Relations, to announce the signing of a bilateral agreement that will provide more than $896 million in federal funding through the Investing in Canada plan over the next decade for infrastructure projects.  These projects will be cost-shared with the Saskatchewan government, municipalities and other partners.

This new funding will see the federal and provincial governments make unprecedented investments in public transit, green infrastructure, recreational, cultural, and community infrastructure, as well as rural and northern communities.

These investments will bring many benefits to people across Saskatchewan, including:

• faster commutes and travel times and easier movement of goods for businesses;
• cleaner air and water;
• reduced greenhouse gas emissions;
• smarter more efficient cities;
• sustainable water management;
• enhanced public parks, recreational facilities and other spaces that make communities great places to live; and
• better transportation and digital infrastructure for people living in remote communities.

More than $33 billion in federal funding is being invested across Canada through these bilateral agreements.  Provinces and territories are asked to develop three-year plans on how they will implement their infrastructure projects.

Quotes

"Long-term investments in infrastructure connect people, create good middle-class jobs and support our economy.  This new agreement with Saskatchewan will provide long-term predictable funding to meet the needs of all residents, from those living in busy city centres to remote rural towns. I am very pleased that this also marks the successful conclusion of our negotiations with all the provinces and territories on these agreements. Together with our partners, we are making strategic investments in infrastructure across Saskatchewan and the country to build prosperous resilient communities where everyone has opportunities to succeed."

The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities

"Infrastructure is the backbone of our communities and our economy.  Today's announcement represents a decade-long commitment to investing in priority projects that address Saskatchewan's unique infrastructure needs, protect and improve communities' health and safety, support Saskatchewan's competitiveness and create significant employment and business opportunities for Saskatchewan's construction sector and workers.  Today's agreement also supports Saskatchewan's ability to ensure funding is directed where it is most needed, through the ability to pursue future flexibility within and between funding streams."

The Honourable Gordon Wyant, Q.C., Minister Responsible for SaskBuilds

Quick facts

• Under the Investing in Canada plan, the Government of Canada is investing more than $180 billion over 12 years in public transit projects, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, trade and transportation routes, and Canada's rural and northern communities.
• Under the first phase of the plan, Infrastructure Canada has approved more than 3,500 projects across Canada worth a combined investment of more than $9.9 billion, including more than 120 projects worth more than $234 million in Saskatchewan.
• As part of the plan, Infrastructure Canada will deliver $33 billion over the next decade through new bilateral agreements with provinces and territories under four funding streams:
• $20.1 billion for public transit;
• $9.2 billion for green infrastructure;
• $1.3 billion for community, cultural and recreational infrastructure; and
• $2 billion for wide-ranging infrastructure needs in rural and northern communities.
• The federal cost-share under the rural and northern infrastructure stream was increased from 50% to 60% on February 16, 2018. With this increase, provincial communities with fewer than 5,000 residents will be eligible to receive a higher proportion of federal funding to address their unique infrastructure needs. Indigenous communities in the provinces will be eligible for a federal cost share of up to 75%.
• This marks the 13^th and final new long-term infrastructure agreement the Government of Canada has signed with provincial and territorial partners.

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Backgrounder

Canada and Saskatchewan making significant investments to improve the lives of residents

New agreement signed to support infrastructure projects and strengthen communities across the province

Under the $180-billion Investing in Canada infrastructure plan, the Government of Canada is signing new ten-year bilateral agreements with all provinces and territories that will see more than $33 billion in federal funding invested in infrastructure projects across the country. The objective of these investments is to transform the way Canadians live, move and work across four priority areas:

• Public transit;
• Green infrastructure;
• Community, culture, and recreation infrastructure; and
• Rural and northern communities.

Saskatchewan will receive a total of $896,323,007 from Canada from 2018 to 2028 through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP) agreement.

Allocations by funding stream

Funding Stream	Allocation	Expected Outcomes at Project Completion*
Public Transit	$307,871,025 to build new urban transit networks and service extensions that will transform the way Canadians live, move and work.	Improved capacity of public transit infrastructure Improved quality and safety of existing and future transit systems Improved access to public transit systems
Green Infrastructure	$416,334,673 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; enable greater adaptation and resilience to the impacts of climate change and climate-related disaster mitigation; and ensure that more communities can provide residents with clean air and safe drinking water.	Increased capacity to manage more renewable energy Increased access to clean energy transportation Increased energy efficiency of buildings Increased generation of clean energy Increased structural capacity and increased natural capacity to adapt to climate change impacts, natural disasters and extreme weather events Increased capacity to treat and manage wastewater and storm water Increased access to potable water Increased capacity to reduce or remediate soil and air pollutants
Community, Culture and Recreation Infrastructure	$56,211,382 to build stronger more inclusive communities with enhanced community, cultural and recreational infrastructure.	Improved access to and increased quality of community, cultural and recreational infrastructure for Canadians, including Indigenous Peoples and vulnerable populations
Rural and Northern Communities Infrastructure	$115,905,927 for projects to improve the quality of life in rural and northern communities by responding to their specific needs.	Improved food security Improved and more reliable road, air and marine infrastructure Improved broadband connectivity More efficient and reliable energy Improved education and health facilities that benefit Indigenous peoples (specific to Truth and Reconciliation Commission)

* Outcomes will be obtained through projects, which will be communicated in more detail as they are announced.

The bilateral agreements will allow the Government of Canada and the provinces and territories to agree on shared results as well as a method of regular reporting on results. The bilateral agreements support the following long-term goals:

• increase economic growth in an inclusive sustainable way;
• improve environmental quality, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase the resiliency of communities against climate change;
• improve mobility in Canadian communities;
• make Canadian communities more inclusive and accessible; and
• manage infrastructure in a more sustainable way.

Under these new bilateral agreements, the Government of Canada will also open the door to unique innovative project ideas that meet the agreed-upon outcomes and contribute to the long-term sustainability of our infrastructure.

To ensure partners consider opportunities to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions or better adapt to climate change during the project development stage, a new climate lens will be applied to certain projects. Partners will also report on how larger projects are creating job opportunities for a broader array of Canadians in the construction industry and related sectors through a new Community Employment Benefits framework.

For information on cost-sharing, please see Infrastructure Canada's website.

Associated links

Government of Canada's $180-billion+ Investing in Canada plan:
http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/about-invest-apropos-eng.html 

Investing in Canada Plan Project Map:
http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/map 

Federal infrastructure investments in Saskatchewan:
http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/map-carte/sk-eng.html

Twitter: @INFC_eng

Web: Infrastructure Canada

SOURCE Infrastructure Canada

Ann-Clara Vaillancourt, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, 613-697-3778, [email protected]; Lisa Danyluk, Director of Strategy and Engagement, SaskBuilds, 306-798-4465, [email protected]; Infrastructure Canada, 613-960-9251, Toll free: 1-877-250-7154, Email: [email protected]

Related Links

http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/