FRANCAIS

February 27, 2006

Intergovernmental Affairs and Trade Minister Scott Smith announced today the first funding agreements have been signed with 56 Manitoba municipalities for the payment of federal gas tax funds. The value of funds flowing so far is $2.45 million.

Municipalities receiving their gas tax payments for 2005-06 today include the Rural Municipality (R.M.) of Alonsa, the Town of Souris, the R.M. of Lakeview and the City of Portage la Prairie. These municipalities were the first four in Manitoba to sign funding agreements with the province.

“We are pleased to see these funds flowing to Manitoba municipalities to address their local infrastructure investment needs through stable and predictable funding,” said Smith.

These payments are part of a total of $167.3 million to be invested in cities and communities across Manitoba over five years by the Government of Canada through it’s commitment to share gas tax revenues. On Nov. 18, 2005, Manitoba and Canada entered into the agreement to provide for the transfer of the federal gas tax revenues to Manitoba municipalities.

Municipalities will be able to use their gas tax funds for environmentally-sustainable municipal infrastructure projects. Eligible project categories include roads and bridges, water and sewer facilities, solid-waste management, public transit, community energy systems and municipal capacity building. Decisions on how these funds are invested will be made locally in a way that responds to the infrastructure needs of each community and results in environmental benefits such as clearer air, cleaner water and reduced greenhouse gas emissions for all Manitobans.

The Province of Manitoba is administering the federal gas tax funds made available under these agreements on behalf of Canada including making payments to individual municipalities and communities. All municipalities have received funding agreements. Payments will be made to other municipalities as those agreements are signed.

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