by Colin Smith
Morinville will be receiving $1,175,000 to build new infrastructure.
This is the Town share of $500 million in infrastructure funding to be provided to Alberta communities through the provincial government’s Municipal Stimulus Program.
“We are very pleased with the announcement of the Municipal Stimulus Program,” said Mayor Barry Turner. “The program will have a very positive impact for the residents and businesses of our community, as it supports new projects, or projects that have not yet started, allowing them to be brought forward earlier than originally planned.”
The Town Administration will be preparing a list of potential projects for funding to present to Council at its next regular meeting.
“Council looks forward to reviewing the projects Administration will be bringing forward for consideration at our August 25 meeting,” Turner said.
The province requires that the funds be allocated to projects by October 1 this year and that all funds be spent by December 31, 2021.
The Municipal Stimulus Program was originally announced in June as part of the Alberta Recovery Plan. It was aired once again Tuesday, in connection with the announcement of $606 million in joint funding from the provincial and federal governments to go toward the pandemic operating costs and public transit costs of Alberta municipalities.
It’s estimated that the program, which boosts municipal infrastructure funding by almost 30 per cent, will create an estimated 2,500 jobs from projects beginning construction in 2020 or 2021.
“The past five months have been tough for Albertans as we faced the global coronavirus recession, the unprecedented collapse of energy prices, and the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Premier Jason Kenney. “But Albertans are resilient, and Alberta’s Recovery Plan is a bold plan to build, diversify, and create jobs.
“This investment will provide municipalities with the funding they need to get through this crisis, create good jobs now, and build the infrastructure that will fuel economic growth in our province for generations to come.”
