Thank you.
It's a privilege for us to be here today to share our thoughts on Canada's economic stimulus plan.
FCM has been the national voice of municipal government since 1901. We represent 90% of the Canadian population—more than 1,800 municipal governments. Members include Canada's largest cities, small urban and rural communities, and 18 provincial and territorial municipal associations.
It was a little more than a year ago that the bottom fell out of global markets, plunging the world into a severe economic downturn. Along with most other countries, Canada needed an immediate strategy to create jobs and fight the recession. As it was then, infrastructure spending is now one of the most effective stimulus tools available.
As you likely know, spending on infrastructure delivers twice the economic boost—and twice the number of jobs—as an equivalent tax cut. This spending is used to build quality roads and bridges, enhance public transit and renew water and sewer systems, as well as to initiate projects which protect our environment and improve our quality of life. Infrastructure spending can strengthen the foundations of our economy.