Mr. Speaker, negotiations are ongoing with Manitoba for the sharing of federal gas tax revenues with the province’s cities and communities. As stated in the budget plan 2005; “In each large urban centre, investments will be targeted to one or two of the following priorities: public transit, water and wastewater, community energy systems, and treatment of solid waste. In smaller municipalities, eligible funding will be considered more broadly to provide flexibility to meet priorities. In all municipalities, some funds may also be used for capacity-building initiatives to support sustainability planning.”
Projects for roads and bridges may be eligible for funding through the Canada strategic infrastructure fund. For example, the federal government contributed $13 million dollars through the Canada strategic infrastructure fund to the Winnipeg Kenaston underpass project for the construction of a railway underpass and other associated roadwork.
Under the Canada-Manitoba municipal-rural infrastructure fund, “local roads” (including bridges) are an eligible category.