WHITEHORSE—Investing in infrastructure is vital to strengthening the middle class and growing the economy for years to come. Modern, efficient community infrastructure contributes to a high quality of life by helping connect people to jobs, improve water systems, and support new business opportunities.

The Government of Canada has now provided Yukon with $7.875 million for community infrastructure through the federal Gas Tax Fund (GTF), representing the first of two annual allocations for 2016−17. In total, Yukon will be provided with more than $15.7 million through the fund this year.

Based on planned projects for this year, GTF funding is expected to support 48 local infrastructure projects. From a $620,000 project in Whitehorse to design and renovate their transit building to reduce energy use, to upgrading the lighting, mechanical systems and windows of the administration building for the Little Salmon/Carmacks First Nation, no other federal funding program provides communities with as much flexibility and decision-making power.

The two GTF installments for this year are in addition to funds going to Yukon under other existing programs and two new federal funding programs: the Public Transit Infrastructure Fund and the Clean Water and Wastewater Fund. The latter are part of Phase 1 of the Government of Canada’s 10-year, $120-billion Investing in Canada plan.

Quick facts

• The GTF has provided over $135 million to Yukon since its introduction in 2005.
• $2 billion is made available nationally each year through two installments.
• The GTF provides Canadian municipalities with a permanent, predictable and indexed source of long-term funding.
• It offers local communities the flexibility to make strategic investments across 18 different project categories, including roads and bridges, public transit, drinking water and wastewater infrastructure, and recreational facilities.
• Communities can use the funds immediately for priority projects, bank the funds for later use, pool the dollars with other communities for shared infrastructure projects or use it to finance major infrastructure expenditures.
• Phase 1 of Investing in Canada provides $11.9 billion in investments to support public transit systems, green infrastructure projects, and social infrastructure projects. Details on Phase 2 of Investing in Canada will be announced over the next months.

Quotes

“The federal Gas Tax Fund allows communities to direct federal dollars to their particular infrastructure priorities across a wide range of project categories. Whether a community needs to expand their recreational centre, repair roads, enhance a wastewater treatment system or make energy-saving upgrades to community buildings, this funding offers predictable, reliable and flexible support that reflects the federal government’s commitment to investing in infrastructure that makes a real difference in people’s lives at the local level.”

The Honourable Amarjeet Sohi,
Minister of Infrastructure and Communities

“The Yukon government is pleased to partner with the federal government in providing this stable, predictable funding that helps support the sustainability and long-term health of Yukon communities. The federal Gas Tax Fund provides Yukon municipalities, First Nations and unincorporated communities with the flexibility to invest in infrastructure to meet their specific needs while creating jobs that contribute to the success of their local economies.”

The Honourable Currie Dixon,
Minister of Community Services, Government of Yukon

Learn more:
Federal Gas Tax Fund
Federal infrastructure investments in Yukon
Have your say on infrastructure
Investing in Canada, the Government of Canada’s new $120 billion infrastructure plan

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See backgrounder.

Contact:

Brook Simpson
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities
613-219-0149
brook.simpson@canada.ca

Bonnie Venton Ross
Communications, Community Services
867-332-5513
bonnie.ventonross@gov.yk.ca

Infrastructure Canada
613-960-9251
Toll free: 1-877-250-7154
infc.media-medias.infc@canada.ca

Backgrounder

The Government of Canada delivered the first of two federal Gas Tax Fund installments for 2016-17 to all provinces and territories.

The following table indicates this year’s federal Gas Tax Fund allocation for Yukon’s communities.