Manitoba water, transit projects get $205M funding boost

Public transit and water treatment projects got a $205-million boost Monday as the federal and provincial governments announced millions in funding for Manitoba municipalities.

About $101.2 million will be funnelled into 27 Manitoba projects as part of the federal government's 10-year infrastructure investment plan. A total of more than $178 million in funding is expected to be available to municipalities through the federal Public Transit Fund and Canadian Water and Wastewater Fund.

In the past, the federal government has put up one-third of the funding for provincial infrastructure projects; under the new agreement, it will now cover about half of the cost. The province (25 per cent) and municipalities (25 per cent) will fork up the rest, Manitoba Municipal Relations Minister Eileen Clarke said.

The City of Winnipeg alone will see almost $53 million from the federal government and close to $26.5 million from the province go toward four transit projects, said MaryAnn Mihychuk, minister of employment, workforce development and labour. That money is expected to help buy new buses, fix old ones and expand bus maintenance space.

The announcement comes three days after CBC News reported details about a bus maintenance backlog that led to significant overtime bills for Winnipeg Transit last year.

Money for RMs

More than $73 million through the water and waste fund — just over $49 million from the feds and a little more than $24.5 million from the provincial government — has been committed to 23 other projects. Among those projects is the development of a pump house and reservoir in the rural municipality of West St. Paul, which the province says will allow the community to retrieve water from the Cartier Regional Water Co-op system.

West St. Paul Mayor Bruce Henley said his community will receive $3 million for the project. 

Henley said if you combine the enhanced funding from the federal government with declining construction prices, it means municipalities will be able to do more infrastructure upgrades than they previously thought was possible.

"This is going to be a huge stimulus that's going to allow us to do more work and get it done as quick as possible," Henley said.

Clarke also noted a downturn in construction prices is helping get more projects on the go. The minister says the cost of construction has been affected by fewer floods in Manitoba.

"Tenders are coming in lower on projects in 2016 from what we've traditionally seen in the past perhaps four years since the flooding in 2011," Clarke said. "All of these things are a real boost to our government. They are also a boost to our municipalities."

The Association of Manitoba Municipalities (AMM) is also pleased with the funding announcement. The organization has been calling on the federal and provincial governments for more funding to smaller communities as part of its "Fair share — Fair Say" campaign.

• Manitoba mayors want 'fair share' of provincial infrastructure funding

"Municipalities have called for a 'fair say' on how infrastructure dollars are invested, while stressing the importance of clean and safe drinking water as well as efficient wastewater treatment for Manitobans," Chris Goertzen, president of the AMM, said in a release Monday.

"Our association is pleased to be at the table as a partner working alongside the federal and provincial governments in selecting municipal infrastructure projects that benefit our communities."