Evidence of meeting #17 for Transport, Infrastructure and Communities in the 41st Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was million.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Associate Deputy Minister, Infrastructure Canada
At this point, it has virtually all been committed.
Associate Deputy Minister, Infrastructure Canada
Sorry, but I have the exact number for you for Building Canada, the major infrastructure component: we have a free balance of about $660 million.
NDP
Olivia Chow NDP Trinity—Spadina, ON
Perfect. And would you be able to provide later on the $170 million that has been reallocated elsewhere...?
Deputy Minister, Department of Transport
I can give you that. It's a short list: $100 million to forest industry transformation; $30 million to the Quebec forestry program managed by Quebec Economic Development; $18 million to the Valley Junction-Thetford Mines pipeline; and $22 million for Beaufort's regional environmental assessment. Also, $45 million has been taken out for strategic review cuts.
NDP
Olivia Chow NDP Trinity—Spadina, ON
Other than these two funds, are there other infrastructure funds left? There are rural funds. Is there any funding left in any of those?
Associate Deputy Minister, Infrastructure Canada
There is one other fund, which is the provincial-territorial base initiative. This was announced as part of the Building Canada plan. It gives $25 million per year to each jurisdiction for seven years, regardless of size. The provinces and territories submit an annual capital...like a list. It has remaining in it about $280 million still to be approved for projects. Again, it's based on the provinces submitting a list to us.
Associate Deputy Minister, Infrastructure Canada
It's a fully committed strategic infrastructure fund. It's fully committed, and it's an old fund as well.
NDP
Olivia Chow NDP Trinity—Spadina, ON
So all in all, that's the total list of infrastructure funds that--
Associate Deputy Minister, Infrastructure Canada
That remain, that have a balance. The major part is Building Canada, $660 million, with the PT base at about $280 million, and then those must be the main funds left--and gas taxes, as I mentioned, at close to $2 billion a year.
Associate Deputy Minister, Infrastructure Canada
No. It's under P3 Canada, which is under the Minister of Finance.
NDP
Olivia Chow NDP Trinity—Spadina, ON
In terms of the green infrastructure fund, the $45 million, given that right now it's all committed and that $45 million is being reduced from the supplementary budget, which we've already done, does this mean that no other applications will come in on this fund, given that there's no funding at all left?
Also, while I'm at it, on Beaufort, they've received $22 million, but there's a cut of $4.9 million. I'll get to that in the second part of this, but for the first part, are there not some applications under the green infrastructure funds that are still outstanding? If there are....
Deputy Minister, Department of Transport
There are some under consideration. We're counting those right now when we say there's not much money left. But there are some projects that are under consideration either in the department or for the minister's decision. Those are the ones we have in the department that are not announced, so once those are done, I would say that the fund is depleted.
NDP
Olivia Chow NDP Trinity—Spadina, ON
It's gone, yes.
How much money is left in terms of that chunk that is now under consideration?
Deputy Minister, Department of Transport
I don't have the exact number right now. It's just an addition issue.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Merv Tweed
Thank you.
I'll have to stop you there, Olivia. I'm sorry.
We'll go to Mr. Coderre.