PRESS RELEASE – Provincial and territorial Ministers Responsible for Local Government reaffirm their commitment to address municipal infrastructure challenges.
Québec City, Québec – July 7, 2016 – Provincial and Territorial (P/T) Ministers Responsible for Local Government concluded their annual meeting in Québec City today to discuss the priorities of communities including infrastructure funding.
Local Government ministers met with the Federal Minister of Infrastructure and Communities to discuss the importance of sustainable infrastructure funding. P/T ministers were pleased to hear Minister Amarjeet Sohi's commitment to have infrastructure funding flow in a timely manner.
"Provincial and territorial governments are supporting municipalities in the delivery of quality infrastructure like roads, bridges, transit, water and wastewater facilities and recognize the importance of the Government of Canada's reinvestment in municipal infrastructure. As a group, we raised issues related to federal programs and we were happy to witness the federal minister's responsiveness and openness for flexibility in program design. This new era of collaboration between federal, provincial and territorial governments will help meet the infrastructure needs of our communities," said Martin Coiteux, Quebec's Minister of Municipal Affairs and Land Occupancy, chair of the Ministers Responsible for Local Government.
It was the first time that P/T Ministers Responsible for Local Government met as a group with Minister Sohi since his election. The discussion showed that the federal, provincial and territorial governments agree on the importance of flexible infrastructure funding that will meet the needs of Canadian communities. While saluting the Federal Government's commitment to increase infrastructure funding, P/T ministers also took the opportunity to provide recommendations on existing and future programs.
In addition to infrastructure, P/T ministers shared information on recent policies and legislative changes and discussed current issues in local finances and municipal governance. They also had the opportunity to hear presentations from the Presidents of the Canadian Institute of Planners and the Ordre des urbanistes du Québec about the importance of planning in building strong and healthy communities.
"These meetings provide an opportunity to hear from everyone, so we can improve services to our fellow citizens," said Martin Coiteux.
Finally, ministers identified common priorities for the year ahead. Ministers will continue their collaboration when they meet again in June 2017 in Regina, Saskatchewan.