Alberta\u00a0mayors are optimistic about the futures of their communities after a government deal to fund housing infrastructure.<\/p>\n
The federal and provincial governments came together in Red Deer on July 29 to announce a new program to accelerate homebuilding, with the funding set aside being used to set up water and wastewater infrastructure for homes.<\/p>\n
$510 million is being put up by Ottawa through the Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund, with Edmonton contributing roughly one-third of eligible project costs.<\/p>\n
The province says that\u2019s roughly $428 million in funding that can be unlocked.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnytime we\u2019re investing in the base infrastructure that is required for to support housing, that is fabulous,\u201d said Okotoks mayor Tanya Thorn.<\/p>\n
The money is open to municipalities like Okotoks, a town of 33,000 people south of Calgary.<\/p>\n
With this fund now open, Thorn says they hope to get back some money on a completed water line project.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe didn\u2019t actually receive federal funding or a substantial amount of federal funding for our water pipeline. So we just built a supplemental water pipeline to our community,\u201d said Thorn. \u201cSo we will be going back on that looking for funding for that because we currently have debt financed about $50 million of that project.<\/p>\n
Approximately 80 kilometres south, Airdrie mayor Heather Spearman is also pleased to see money being put up by the federal and provincial governments for infrastructure, especially with a few major projects underway.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are going to be fast tracking the build for a Southwest recreation facility for our community,\u201d said Spearman. \u201cFor many people that doesn\u2019t sound like a critical piece of infrastructure, but having the infrastructure in place to support something like that is so important.\u201d<\/p>\n
This build, as well as the city\u2019s skating facility, are included in the city\u2019s 10-year strategic plan, projects Spearman says are important to keep Airdrie growing and able to serve the needs of residents.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are also one of the largest communities in Western Canada without a hospital,\u201d said Spearman.<\/p>\n
During his stop in Red Deer to announce the bursary for water infrastructure, Prime Minister Mark Carney also announced he and\u00a0Alberta\u00a0Premier Danielle Smith are working on a deal to increase the pace of affordable housing construction.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s developments of this nature that has Spearman optimistic about what\u2019s possible when all levels of government are investing in Western Canada.<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom a federal level, it is really exciting to see so much focus on Western Canada and the investments that they\u2019re willing to make to help people feel comfortable here and to help create those bare bones infrastructures that need to be in place in order to accommodate the growth that\u2019s happening,\u201d said Spearman.<\/p>\n