Canada and Manitoba Invest in Infrastructure

• Backgrounder

Winnipeg, Manitoba, June 12, 2009 — The Honourable Manitoba Premier Gary Doer, along with the Honourable Vic Toews, President of the Treasury Board and MP for Provencher, today announced funding for four shovel-ready infrastructure initiatives under new infrastructure funding allocated in Canada's Economic Action Plan.

“We are creating jobs, strengthening our economy, and building for the future in Manitoba," said Premier Gary Doer. "Investing in these projects continues our commitment to Manitobans to improve infrastructure across our province.”

The four projects -- the replacement of the Letellier Bridge, upgrades to Provincial Road 513, replacement of the Winnipeg Art Gallery roof and the Southdale Community Centre expansion -- will be funded from the Infrastructure Stimulus Fund. The federal and provincial governments will each contribute over $22.2 million to these projects.

“Our Government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Stephen Harper, is getting shovels in the ground to stimulate the economy and create jobs,” said Minister Toews. “We strongly believe that through timely investments in infrastructure, we can not only protect Manitobans from the economic challenges, but emerge stronger than ever.”

The new federal $4-billion Infrastructure Stimulus Fund provides funding to provincial, territorial and municipal construction-ready infrastructure rehabilitation projects that will be built during this year’s and next year’s construction seasons. When combined with the infrastructure projects announced on May 22, and May 29, 2009, 33 projects in Manitoba will receive a joint federal-provincial investment of almost $223 million under the Infrastructure Stimulus Fund.

The Government of Canada’s Economic Action Plan is accelerating and expanding the existing federal investment of $33 billion in infrastructure with almost $12 billion in new infrastructure stimulus funding over two years. The June 11 “Report to Canadians” underlines progress in infrastructure investments.

Today’s announcement continues the important steps the province of Manitoba is taking to support economic growth by investing $1.6 billion this year into infrastructure to stimulate the economy, create jobs, and renew the province’s roads, schools, health facilities, and water treatment facilities.

For further information, visit www.creatingjobs.gc.ca. To learn more about Canada’s Economic Action Plan, visit www.actionplan.gc.ca.

For further information contact:

Felicia Wasylowski
Regional Communications Advisor
Office of the President of the Treasury Board
204-983-7096

Chris Day
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities
613-991-0700

Infrastructure Canada
613-948-1148

Jonathan Hildebrand
Cabinet Communications
Province of Manitoba
204-945-1494

Backgrounder
INFRASTRUCTURE STIMULUS FUND IN MANITOBA

Through Canada’s Economic Action Plan, the federal government has established a new $4-billion Infrastructure Stimulus Fund that provides funding to provincial, territorial and municipal construction-ready infrastructure rehabilitation projects. Funding is available for two years for projects that will be built during the 2009 and 2010 construction seasons.

Infrastructure Stimulus Fund at Work in Manitoba

Following discussion with the province of Manitoba, the Infrastructure Stimulus Fund is already at work in Manitoba. On May 22, 2009, Canada and Manitoba announced a joint investment of $159 million for up to 24 provincial and community infrastructure projects that will create jobs and help build stronger communities. On May 29, 2009, the Governments of Canada and Manitoba announced they will be providing up to $18.5 million in financial support to cultural and not-for-profit sector assets in the province.

To date, 33 projects with a joint federal-provincial investment of almost $223 million have been approved under the Infrastructure Stimulus Fund in Manitoba. Projects include important investments in provincial highway, parks and trails, and cultural infrastructure, as well as in municipal and not-for-profit sector assets.

List of New Projects to be funded under the Stimulus Fund

• Letellier Bridge,
• Upgrades to Provincial Road 513
• Replacement of the Winnipeg Art Gallery roof,
• Southdale Community Centre expansion.

Projects previously funded under the Infrastructure Stimulus Fund:

• Manitoba Centennial Centre Refurbishment
• United Way Headquarters
• Winnipeg Harvest Community Food Distribution & Training Centre
• Western Manitoba Centennial Auditorium
• Salvation Army Multicultural Family Centre
• PTH 1 Paving (PR 250 to PTH 21)
• PTH 1 Paving (Assiniboine River to Headingley)
• PTH 1 Paving (Eastbound Lanes PTH 21 to PTH 10)
• PTH 1 Paving (from 20 km west of PTH 5 to PTH 5)
• PTH 1 Paving (Portage la Prairie to PTH 13)
• PTH 1 Paving (PR 340 to PR 351)
• PTH 1 Paving (PTH 13 to Elie)
• PTH 1 Paving (East Jct PTH 10 to PR 340)
• PTH 1 East Reconstruction (E of PTH 100 to PTH 12)
• PTH 1A Paving (in Brandon from PR 457 to PTH 1)
• PR 373 Grade, Base & AST (N of PR374 to Sea Falls)
• PR 483 Surfacing
• Asessippi Park Development
• Cuprus Sewage Lagoon Expansion
• White Lake Septic Field Decommission & Lagoon Construction
• Wellman Lake Water Treatment Plant
• Watchorn Water Treatment Plant
• Nutimik Modern Washroom/Shower Building
• Grindstone Lagoon and Wetland
• Hnausa & Watchorn Modern Washroom/Shower Building
• Winnipeg Beach Redevelopment Initiative
• Birds Hill Bike Path Paving
• Winnipeg/Springfield - Gunn Road Upgrade
• Stanley - Water Reservoir Expansion