FCM launches Municipal Infrastructure Forum in Ottawa (07/02/2012)
Today, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) hosted the first-ever meeting of the Municipal Infrastructure Forum, a national group of municipal, business, and industry leaders formed to support the Government of Canada's development of a new long-term infrastructure plan.
"Canada has a chance to turn around the long-decline in our aging roads, bridges, water systems, and public transit," said Berry Vrbanovic, president of FCM. "Together we can take stock of the country's needs and equip our communities to build and maintain the local infrastructure that is the backbone of Canada's economy."
When the government's seven-year Building Canada Plan ends in 2014, almost $2 billion dollars a year in federal-municipal funding will expire with it. In its 2011 Budget, the federal government promised to develop a new plan over the next two years in partnership with municipalities, provinces, territories and other key stakeholders.
"Repairing and maintaining infrastructure is vital to ensuring we have strong communities, and a strong economy," said City of Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson, who welcomed the first meeting of the Forum at Ottawa City Hall. "Municipalities will continue to lead on the front-lines, but this is a long term commitment that requires a team effort by all orders of government."
The Municipal Infrastructure Forum is an informal body bringing infrastructure experts together with municipal and business leaders to exchange ideas, build consensus, and provide input to the federal government. Over the next year, the forum's discussions will follow the three phases of the government's long-term planning process: 1) taking stock of recent infrastructure investments; 2) measuring infrastructure needs; and 3) developing principles and priorities for future investments.
Municipalities, who are responsible for more than 50% of Canada's public infrastructure but collect just eight cents of every tax dollar, cannot meet the country's infrastructure needs on their own. In a period of budget constraints and economic uncertainty, governments must work together and with the private sector to make the most of every dollar invested, and to build the safe and efficient community infrastructure Canada needs to drive its economy and protect its quality of life.
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For more information, please contact:
Mouktar Abdillahi at (613) 907-6395
* The Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) has been the national voice of municipal government since 1901. FCM represents close to 90 per cent of the Canadian population - almost 2000 municipal governments across the country.
