The Honourable Gail Shea, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, along with the Honourable Carolyn Bertram, Minister of Communities, Cultural Affairs and Labour, were pleased to announce that Prince Edward Island communities can now access more funding for infrastructure projects thanks to a second intake of project applications.

“This Government believes in making Prince Edward Island stronger by creating jobs, improving infrastructure and enhancing quality of life,” said Minister Shea. “Today’s announcement is an important next step towards that goal. Canada and PEI will fund infrastructure projects in smaller communities, helping them meet their unique challenges and further strengthen their economy through job creation.”

“The Communities Component is making a real difference in the every day lives of Islanders. To date, we have already announced over $14.7 million in projects for Island communities,” said Minister Bertram. “By helping local governments plan and enhance infrastructure, communities become more vibrant, sustainable and active places to live and work.”

This partnership between the Government of Canada and the Province of Prince Edward Island provides funding towards several categories of infrastructure projects including water, wastewater, local roads and bridges, public transit, green energy, disaster mitigation, sports, culture and tourism. Projects will be selected by a federal-provincial committee through a competitive process.

As of March 11, 2009, municipalities can submit online applications at https://bcfcc-fccvc.infrastructure.gc.ca. The deadline for this second intake of applications is April 14, 2009. The Canada-Prince Edward Island Infrastructure Secretariat will be conducting information sessions during the month of March to fully outline the program requirements and the application process. Municipal officials wishing to attend an information session are asked to contact the Secretariat at 902-620-3380.

The Government of Canada’s Economic Action Plan is accelerating and expanding the existing federal investment of $33 billion in infrastructure with almost $12 billion in new infrastructure stimulus funding over two years. The Province of Prince Edward Island is working closely with the federal government to ensure that these infrastructure funds are being spent opportunely on priority projects for our One Island Community.

For more information on the Building Canada plan, visit www.buildingcanada.gc.ca. For more information on infrastructure program in Prince Edward Island, visit www.gov.pe.ca/go/infrastructure.

BACKGROUNDER

ELIGIBLE FUNDING CATEGORIES

WATER – Projects that construct or materially rehabilitate public infrastructure that contributes to: improved safety, management, reliability and efficiency of Canada’s drinking water treatment and distribution systems; increased number of households with access to safe drinking water that meets or exceeds the Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality; improved protection and/or management of drinking water sources; and improved conservation of water.

WASTEWATER – Projects that construct or materially rehabilitate public infrastructure that contributes to: reducing the negative impacts of wastewater effluent or stormwater effluent on human health and the environment; improving the safety and management of wastewater sludge; and improving the management and efficiency of wastewater infrastructure or stormwater infrastructure.

PUBLIC TRANSIT – Projects that construct, improve or rehabilitate public transit infrastructure that contributes to economic, environmental and social sustainability in cities and communities.

NATIONAL HIGHWAY SYSTEM – Projects that construct, improve or rehabilitate segments of the Core National Highway System that contributes to: supporting trade and tourism flows inter-provincially and internationally; improving transportation safety; improving mobility; and encouraging innovation.

GREEN ENERGY – Projects that construct or materially rehabilitate public infrastructure that contributes to: increase the availability and/or reliability of Canada’s clean energy supply; increase the availability of renewable energy; improving air quality; and, reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

DISASTER MITIGATION – Projects that construct or materially rehabilitate public infrastructure that reduces the vulnerability of a community or public infrastructure to the negative impacts of extreme natural events, including adverse events related to climate change.

SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT – Projects that construct or materially rehabilitate public infrastructure that reduces the environmental impacts resulting from solid waste management.

BROWNFIELD REMEDIATION AND REDEVELOPMENT – Projects that construct or materially rehabilitate public infrastructure that contributes to: removal or neutralization of the negative effects of brownfields on communities and environment by remediating and redeveloping these properties in a sustainable manner; and support more intense land use within cities and communities.

CULTURE – Projects that achieve significant economic and/or regional impacts through the construction or material rehabilitation of public infrastructure that results in: supporting arts and/or heritage facilities; and/or helping communities express, preserve, develop and promote their culture and/or heritage within Canada.

SPORT – Projects that achieve significant economic and/or regional impacts through the construction or material rehabilitation of sport infrastructure that results in: providing increased opportunities for sport activities that can improve the health of Canadians and strengthen Canadian communities; and/or providing increased opportunities for the development of Canadian athletes and/or the hosting of major amateur athletic events.

CONNECTIVITY – Projects that construct or materially rehabilitate public infrastructure that results in: improving the delivery of public services, such as government services, education and health; and/or improving quality of life, social development, reduces travel requirements, and increases the potential for innovation and economic development by connecting Canadians, particularly in rural and remote communities.

LOCAL ROAD – Projects that construct, improve or rehabilitate local road infrastructure that contributes to improving road safety; improving mobility; improving sustainability; supporting economic and community development.

SHORTLINE RAIL – Projects that promote Canada’s competitiveness, trade, security and quality of life by optimizing the use of all transportation modes in order to maximize the efficiency, productivity and sustainability of the national transportation system.

SHORT SEA SHIPPING – Projects that involve new or significantly expanded infrastructure, supporting increased short sea shipping capacity and/or new routes, in order to promote Canada’s competitiveness, trade and quality of life by optimizing the use of all transportation modes in order to maximize the efficiency, productivity and sustainability of the national transportation system.

REGIONAL AND LOCAL AIRPORTS – Projects that promote Canada’s regional economic development by improving the efficiency of regional and local airports while maintaining high levels of safety and security.

TOURISM – Projects that achieve significant economic and/or regional impacts through the construction or material rehabilitation of convention centres or exhibition hall-type facilities.

COLLABORATIVE PROJECTS – Projects that achieve strategic objectives: promoting the implementation of holistic approaches to public infrastructure planning and management, and sustainable community planning principles; encouraging a culture of using integrated life cycle asset management as a decision-making approach; promoting the integration of demand management in public infrastructure planning and management; encouraging dissemination of project results to other municipalities; and supporting collaborative feasibility and planning studies on public infrastructure projects and issues.

RECREATION - To facilitate recreational opportunities through the construction or material rehabilitation of recreational infrastructure that encourages participation from all segments of society in physical activity and community-building. Subcategories include: large facilities or complexes which support physical activity such as arenas, gymnasiums, swimming pools, sports fields, tennis, basketball, volleyball or other sport-specific courts, or other facilities that have sport and/or physical activity as a primary rationale; community centres that offer programming to the community at large, including all segments of the populations; and networks of parks, fitness trails and bike paths.