There is more money available for infrastructure projects in New Brunswick.
That was the message from the Parliamentary Secretary for Infrastructure and Communities, Marco Mendicino as he toured areas under construction in Charlotte County on Tuesday.
Southwest New Brunswick MP Karen Ludwig brought Mendicino to St. Stephen, Saint Andrews, as well as McAdam, showing the work being carried out in the county.
Mendicino says the main point of these visits is to see the progress being made on important infrastructure in New Brunswick as a result of historic investments, over $670 million allocated to the province from the Government of Canada.
He says they’re looking to leverage the leadership at the municipal level and at the provincial level.
“Like with Mayor MacEachern in St. Stephen, we had a great discussion this morning about how we need all levels of government to be cooperating to ensure we keep delivering for the people of New Brunswick, whether it on building bridges and roads or building water systems.”
The Parliamentary Secretary said damages from flooding is becoming a crisis and these meetings are urgent.
“People who have been displaced from their homes, businesses which have been interrupted, interruption of important essential government services, we need to keep building those water systems and ensuring that we’re not only providing critical support to people who have already been victimized by the floods, but preventing damage by future floods.”
He tells us he is hoping the province will accelerate its submission of projects to the Government of Canada for approval.
He says the sooner they can get the projects from the provincial government, the sooner they can approve them and continue to build.
Parliamentary Secretary for Infrastructure and Communities, Marco Mendicino touring the construction at St. Stephen Landing with Southwest NB MP Karen Ludwig and St. Stephen Mayor Allan MacEachern.
Mendicino says currently, there is still $670 million federal dollars on the table for New Brunswick to access for infrastructure projects.
“In 2018, there were only $2 million delivered from the Government of Canada to the province [of New Brunswick], and that is the result of the reduced number of projects which were put forth by the province. So we are ready, willing and able to continue partnering.”
Once those projects can be sent in and approved, Mendicino tells us there will be more shovels in the ground, “More people at work, more communities getting the flood mitigation that they need, the bridges and the roads they need, and the community cultural and recreational infrastructure they need.”
Mendicino also noted how the federal government has doubled the Gas Tax fund being sent out to municipalities across the country.
St. Stephen will be getting a double payment of $355,000, for a total of $710,000 for this year from the Gas Tax Fund.
Mendicino tells us the money from the Gas Tax is predictable, and there are no strings attached as its not related to the results of the election.
