House of Commons photoLost his last election, in 2015, with 32% of the vote.
Infrastructure February 5th, 2015
Mr. Speaker, that member is once again misleading the House.
The new Building Canada plan has been open for business since March. In less than a year, projects representing an estimated $5 billion have already been approved for funding.
When we first announced the new Building Canada plan in budget 2013, here is what that stalwart of the Conservative Party, Ottawa mayor Jim Watson, had to say:
This is good news for the city of Ottawa and indeed good news for all cities across Canada.
Infrastructure February 5th, 2015
Mr. Speaker, it is intriguing that the Liberals have this sudden conversion to the importance of infrastructure, given that they did so little on this file when they were government.
As the Conservative government, we have invested three times the amount in infrastructure than the Liberals did when they were government. These investments are creating jobs and prosperity. They are enhancing our country's growth and productivity.
Infrastructure February 5th, 2015
Mr. Speaker, notwithstanding the sound and fury that they may hear in this place from time to time, municipalities can be assured that they have the strongest partner in this Conservative government that they have ever had.
Our Conservative government has introduced the largest infrastructure plan in Canadian history, a $75 billion plan over the next decade. This includes a $53 billion plan for municipalities, provinces, and territories. Also, in the fall the Prime Minister announced $6 billion specifically for federally owned infrastructure.
We are not only doing our part; we are doing much more.
Infrastructure February 4th, 2015
Mr. Speaker, as I explained, our Conservative government remains committed to working with our partners, the municipalities and provinces, to make investments in infrastructure that encourage job creation and economic growth, and that enhance our quality of life. That is why we are investing $75 billion in public infrastructure, of which money is flowing now and over 10 years. This includes the $53 billion new building Canada plan, the largest and longest-term infrastructure plan in Canadian history.
From this plan, proponents can identify their priorities now and we will profile the funds to be delivered when proponents are ready to receive them as work gets under way. That is how the program works.
Close to $2 billion in funding was made available for municipalities in 2014 alone, supporting over 2,000 new projects, and funds continue to flow from existing federal infrastructure programs.
We continuously see infrastructure work under way in our communities, and this is a clear indication that the money is flowing.
Infrastructure February 4th, 2015
Mr. Speaker, we acknowledge the importance of infrastructure investment in cities and communities across the country. We also recognize the diversity of the needs from coast to coast to coast. That is why our government has continued to make long-term, predictable funding for public infrastructure a priority.
In 2007, we announced $33 billion in stable, flexible and predictable funding to the 7-year building Canada plan. Fresh on the heels of launching this plan, our government responded quickly to the economic crisis in 2009 with $5.25 billion more in infrastructure stimulus investments. In fact, the infrastructure stimulus fund supported over 4,000 projects across the country.
Collectively, this funding has had a significant impact. As a result of these investments, the average age of Canada's infrastructure has been steadily decreasing from 17.8 years in 2000, to 14.7 years in 2013.
More recent, economic action plan 2013 announced $70 billion for public infrastructure over the next decade. This of course includes the $53 billion new building Canada plan, the largest and the longest-term infrastructure plan in Canadian history, providing stable funding for a 10 year period. Seventy per cent of the funds available through the plan directly support infrastructure in cities and communities across the country.
In addition, just last month, our Prime Minister announced another $5.8 billion to address federal infrastructure priorities that will have long lasting benefits, including job creation. In total, that is over $75 billion that will be injected into the economy over the coming decade to support public infrastructure in communities across the country.
The new building Canada plan has been open for business since March 2014, and these programs are well under way. We are working with provinces and territories to identify projects. In fact, it is the responsibility of provinces to identify those project priorities. When they are provided to us, we are processing proposals as quickly as they come in. In fact, close to a billion dollars in federal funding for regional and national projects have already been announced, and we look forward to announcing many more in the year ahead.
Funding will begin to flow for these priority projects as construction begins and costs are incurred. This is solid stewardship of public funds and a principle we have applied since 2006.
In addition, we made close to $2 billion available to municipalities in 2014 alone under the now permanent, doubled and indexed federal gas tax fund. The city of Calgary is getting that federal gas tax funding directly.
As we clearly can see from the continuous federal investments in public infrastructure, there has been no break in federal funding since 2007, and money continues to be available to our cities and communities to address their infrastructure priorities. No federal government has ever made a stronger commitment to supporting public infrastructure.
Infrastructure February 4th, 2015
Mr. Speaker, our government has made record investments in infrastructure. The new building Canada plan was open for business just last March. In less than a year, projects representing approximately $5 billion have already been identified for funding under the new building Canada plan.
We look forward to working with municipal, provincial and territorial partners, as we continue to renew infrastructure and create jobs and prosperity in our country.
Intergovernmental Affairs February 4th, 2015
Mr. Speaker, our Conservative government is making record investments in infrastructure. This includes public transit. In fact, public transit is an eligible category under every component of the new building Canada plan. What is more, we respect the jurisdiction of municipalities and provinces. They choose, they identify, their infrastructure project priorities.
We look forward to continuing to work with our partners.
Intergovernmental Affairs February 4th, 2015
Mr. Speaker, our government has introduced the largest and the longest infrastructure plan in Canada's history, with $75 billion over the next 10 years. This includes the $53-billion new building Canada plan for municipal, provincial, and territorial infrastructure.
We are making record investments and are keeping taxes low. The NDP, in addition to needing to mortgage its own party, it would appear, would also mortgage the future of our kids and our grandkids.
Intergovernmental Affairs January 30th, 2015
Mr. Speaker, that is another myth the Liberals continue to perpetuate. This is absolutely incorrect.
This is a Conservative government that is making record investments in infrastructure. The new building Canada plan is the longest and largest infrastructure investment in Canadian history, $53 billion over the next decade. It is a long-term, stable, predictable commitment.
Already the new building Canada plan, open for business less than a year, has already approved projects representing $5 billion.
Infrastructure January 30th, 2015
Mr. Speaker, that is absolutely incorrect. Municipalities and provinces in this country know that they have the strongest partner they have ever had with this Conservative government. This year we will balance the budget.
How did the Liberals balance the budget when they were in government? They did it by slashing health care and education by reducing transfers to individuals and provinces.
Under our Conservative government, transfers to provinces have increased significantly, and infrastructure investments have increased significantly.