NEW FUND SUPPORTS EXPANSION OF PUBLIC TRANSIT IN SMALL MANITOBA COMMUNITIES: SELINGER
– – –Association of Manitoba Municipalities to Have Role in Approving Projects
The province is launching a new fund to support public transit in small communities across Manitoba, Premier Greg Selinger announced today.
The Small Communities Transit Fund is being created with help from $1 million in federal gas taxes over a four-year period from 2010-11 to 2013-14.
“The province continues to support affordable and accessible public transit and handi-transit services to improve the quality of life in Manitoba communities,” said Selinger. “We already fund Manitoba communities that have municipal transit or handi-transit systems through our established transit operating and capital grant programs. This new fund will extend additional support to encourage the development or expansion of public-transit systems in Manitoba.”
This new fund, which was developed in consultation with the Association of Manitoba Municipalities (AMM), will provide funding to smaller-sized transit communities, or to communities wanting to establish new transit systems. The AMM will work with the province in the selection process that will approve project applications.
“Public transit and handi-transit services benefit the environment by providing an alternative to automobiles and reducing greenhouse-gas emissions,” said Local Government Minister Ron Lemieux. “They also contribute to the sustainability of Manitoba communities, adding to their vitality by encouraging business development and economic growth that benefits all Manitobans.”
The federal Gas Tax Fund delivers infrastructure funding to local governments and other eligible recipients primarily for projects that lead to cleaner air, cleaner water or reduced greenhouse-gas emissions. Between 2005 and 2014, the Government of Canada will provide a total of $431.88 million in gas-tax funding to Manitoba through the Gas Tax Fund.
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