GAS TAX FUNDING PAYMENTS ACCELERATED FOR SECOND YEAR IN A ROW
 
Regina, SK – Today Tom Lukiwski, Member of Parliament for Regina – Lumsden – Lake Centre, announced that the Government of Canada is providing a Gas Tax Fund payment to cities and towns in Saskatchewan nearly three months early, to help the community invest in local infrastructure and make the most of the spring and summer construction seasons.
 
For the second consecutive year, the Government of Canada is providing its Gas Tax Fund payment to communities in April, instead of the usual date in June.  This accelerated payment is intended to support jobs and economic growth, which is the Government’s focus in year two of Canada’s Economic Action Plan.
 
“This is the second year in a row that the Government of Canada is accelerating our Gas Tax Fund payment,” said Lukiwski. “This advance payment shows that our Government has listened to municipalities and cut red tape to help accelerate infrastructure projects and create jobs.”
 
In addition to an advance payment, in 2009 the Government of Canada announced that Gas Tax Fund payments to communities would double, and the Fund would be a permanent, long term measure after 2014.
 
The Gas Tax Fund represents stable, long-term, predictable funding that municipalities can pool, bank or borrow against for investments in municipal infrastructure such as drinking water, wastewater, improved roads, bridges, and public transit projects.
 
Since the launch of Canada’s Economic Action Plan, the Government of Canada has worked with other levels of government to accelerate an unprecedented number of infrastructure projects across the country, through several key infrastructure programs.