Mr. Speaker, I am tempted to defer to my colleague, the minister responsible for cities and communities.
We have in the last two budgets taken some very bold initiatives. We have provided a 100% rebate of the GST to all municipalities on all their purchases. That is worth $700 million per year to the municipalities of this country.
Second, we have taken the existing infrastructure programs and we have condensed them, particularly the municipal and rural program, from what used to be 10 years, down to 5 years so the money will flow more quickly.
When the budget gets passed, we will be begin to share the gas tax. That will amount to a huge new flow of long term predictable revenue to municipalities.
Let me just make two quick points. All of this is in addition to our existing infrastructure programs. Our intention is that funding will be ongoing permanently and it will be there for the municipalities of this country to rely on.