FUNDING FOR = DUNCAN INFRASTRUCTURE, PUBLIC SAFETY

DUNCAN =96 The Honourable Vic Toews, president of = the Treasury=20 Board, along with Minister of Small Business, Technology and Economic=20 Development Ida Chong, on behalf of Minister of Community Development = Kevin=20 Krueger, today announced joint provincial and federal funding to the = City of=20 Duncan to plant trees, enhance local infrastructure and invest in public = safety=20 projects.

=20 =93Our = Conservative=20 Government is taking action to create jobs for Canadians,=94 said Toews. = =93Our government=92s = partnership with the=20 Province for the Towns for Tomorrow and Local Motion projects clearly=20 demonstrates our commitment to strengthen British Columbia=92s economy = and ensure=20 jobs for its citizens.=94

=93The Province is = committed to=20 developing and maintaining strong partnerships with local governments = and the=20 Government of Canada to ensure communities have the tools they need to = achieve=20 their visions for the future,=94 said Chong. =93These partnerships are = integral to=20 the strength and economic resilience of British Columbia.=94

Today=92s announcement = includes:

=B7 =20 $400,000 in federal and provincial Towns = for=20 Tomorrow funding for the Craig Street downtown revitalization project to = upgrade=20 one of the city=92s core streets and create a more liveable, vibrant and = sustainable downtown. Work will consist of removing the existing roadway = and=20 restoring the pavement, reducing a two-lane road to one-lane, = construction of a=20 new drainage system plus curb and sidewalk replacement.

=B7 =20 $275,442 in federal and provincial = LocalMotion=20 funding for the Centennial Park project, revitalizing the park=92s = amenities=20 including a proposed water play park, new playground and pedestrian = trail=20 linkages. The trails through Centennial Park form part of the Trans Canada Trail and = link the=20 urban core to the surrounding countryside and CPR Rail Corridor.

=B7 =20 $6,096 from Trees for Tomorrow to enhance = the=20 Centennial Park redevelopment project.

=B7 =20 $701,891 through the first instalment of = the=20 Province=92s Strategic Community Investment Fund, a restructuring of = provincial=20 grant programs to give communities more funding sooner, including:

o =20 $685,365 in Small Community Grants to = support=20 provision of basic services. =

o =20 $16,526 in Traffic Fine Revenue Sharing = to help=20 enhance policing and community-based safety programs.

=B7 =20 $10,000 from the Infrastructure Planning = Grant=20 Program to support the Duncan Warm Lands Energy Initiative: Renewable = Energy=20 Infrastructure Assessment project.

=B7 =20 $1,189 from the Climate Action Revenue = Incentive=20 Program =96 equal to 100 per cent of the carbon tax paid as part of = direct=20 expenditures on fossil fuels. Duncan is one of the more than 175 = communities=20 that have signed the Climate Action Charter committing to becoming = carbon=20 neutral by 2012.

The=20 Towns for Tomorrow and LocalMotion projects are part of an overall = $14-billion=20 capital infrastructure program supported by the Province that will = create up to=20 88,000 jobs and help build vital public infrastructure in every region = of=20 B.C.

Beyond this funding=20 announcement, the Government of Canada is taking important steps to = support=20 economic growth. Canada=92s Economic Action = Plan,=20 announced in Budget 2009, is a balanced stimulus plan that includes = massive=20 investments in infrastructure, tax relief and transfers. This plan will = provide=20 close to $12 billion in new infrastructure stimulus funding over two = years which=20 will address needs in communities across Canada, as well as contributing = to=20 long-term economic growth through investments in public infrastructure, = such as=20 roads, water treatment, green energy and transit.

BACKGROUNDER

Towns for = Tomorrow is a five-year, $71-million program that helps smaller = communities=20 and regional districts with infrastructure projects. Towns for Tomorrow = provides=20 up to 80 per cent of funding for communities under 5,000, to a maximum = of=20 $400,000, and 75 per cent of funding for communities up to 15,000, to a = maximum=20 of $375,000. As a result of a commitment on the part of all levels of = government=20 to accelerate the disbursement of infrastructure funding to stimulate = the=20 economy and meet the needs of communities, the federal government is = proudly=20 supporting the Towns for Tomorrow program. To learn more, go to http://www.townsfortomorr= ow.gov.bc.ca/.=20

LocalMotion is a four-year, = $40-million=20 program helps communities to build capital projects like bike paths, = walkways=20 and greenways, helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and making = communities=20 more senior- and disability-friendly. The program provides local = governments up=20 to 50 per cent funding for approved projects up to a maximum = contribution of $1=20 million. As a result of a commitment on the part of all levels of = government to=20 accelerate the disbursement of infrastructure funding to stimulate the = economy,=20 the federal government is proudly supporting the LocalMotion program. = For more=20 information, visit http://www.localmotion.gov.bc.= ca/=20 online.

Strategic = Community=20 Investment Fund: Through a restructuring of provincial grant = programs,=20 communities will see more funding sooner, giving them greater certainty = and=20 improved financial flexibility. Payments will be made on the basis of = Strategic=20 Community Investment Agreements with local governments. The first = $133-million=20 instalment on this two-year, $232-million initiative consists of the = Traffic=20 Fine Revenue Sharing Program and Small Community and Regional District = Grants.=20

Trees for = Tomorrow=20 is a five-year, $13-million program that is supporting community=20 organizations, First Nations and local governments in urban and rural = areas in=20 planting four million trees in the public areas of cities, towns, = villages and=20 regional districts throughout B.C. In its first year, the program is = providing=20 approximately $3 million to support the planting of trees and the = implementation=20 of other energy-saving initiatives across British Columbia. The initiative, first = announced in the=20 2008 speech from the throne, involves cost-sharing with a range of = applicants=20 and stewardship organizations. To learn more, visit http://www.treesfortomorr= ow.gov.bc.ca/

Small Community and Regional = District=20 Grants: $70 million of the initial $133-million payment under the = Strategic=20 Community Investment Fund will support local governments this year as = part of=20 the Province=92s continuing commitment to help provide services in areas = with=20 smaller tax bases. The grant allocation takes into account three = elements: basic=20 funding for all municipalities with a population of less than 15,000,=20 population-based funding, and property assessment-based funding. This = year=92s=20 payment fulfils the Province=92s commitment to double these grants over = four=20 years.

The Traffic Fine Revenue Sharing = Program:=20 Of the initial $133-million payment under the Strategic Community = Investment=20 Fund, $63 million will help = municipalities enhance policing = and=20 community-based public safety programs. The = Province has=20 provided 100 per cent of net traffic fine revenues to local governments = since=20 2004, amounting to an additional $206=20 million. Traffic fine revenue comes from fines on violation = tickets,=20 and the amount a municipality receives is based on its contribution to = total=20 municipal policing costs. =20

The Infrastructure Planning Grant = Program is providing over $660,000 to help municipalities and = regional=20 districts with plans to design, develop and manage sustainable = infrastructure.=20 Through the program, local governments can receive up to $10,000 in = grant=20 funding. Often these grants fund studies that help communities apply for = infrastructure project funding. For example, almost half the projects = submitted=20 to the Canada-B.C. Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund (MRIF) for = funding were=20 initiated with infrastructure planning grants.

The Climate Action Revenue = Incentive=20 Program helps communities that have committed to the goal of = becoming carbon=20 neutral in their corporate operations by 2012, under the BC Climate = Action=20 Charter. The program provides local governments with grants to offset = 100 per=20 cent of the carbon tax they have directly paid for fossil fuel = purchases.

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