June 19, 2003

Government provides $94 million for operating and maintenance costs

Edmonton ... The Government of Alberta is providing an additional $94 million to assist publicly supported facilities with cost pressures for operations and maintenance. The one-time payments will be provided to school boards, post secondary institutions, regional health authorities, government supported housing and other agencies across the province.

“Cost pressures for operating and maintenance in many publicly funded organizations are having an effect on facilities that support important services for Albertans,” said Finance Minister Pat Nelson. “This funding is intended to help these organizations address those cost pressures.”

Operations and Maintenance funding will be distributed through five departments as follows:

• $30 million for schools from Alberta Infrastructure
• $30 million for Post Secondary institutions from Alberta Learning
• $21.5 million from Alberta Health and Wellness for hospitals and other buildings administered by Regional Health Authorities.
• $7.5 million from Alberta Seniors for government supported housing.
• $5 million from Alberta Community Development for libraries, provincial parks and other publicly supported facilities.

The government has agreed to allocate $94 million from the contingency allowance of $210 million set in the 2003-04 budget. Individual school boards, universities, colleges, technical institutes, health authorities and other agencies will be informed shortly of their share of the additional funding.

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(Dial 310-0000 for toll free access outside of Edmonton.)

For information on how these dollars will be allocated in various sectors, contact:

• David Bray, Communications, Alberta Infrastructure: (780) 422-0506; cellular (780) 718-2973
• Mark Cooper, Communications, Alberta Learning: (780) 427-0965; cellular (780) 718-2370
• Howard May, Communications, Alberta Health and Wellness: (403) 297-8268
• Ed Conway, Communications, Alberta Seniors: (780) 415-9950
• Bill Strickland, Communications, Alberta Community Development: (780) 427-6530

For general media inquiries, please contact:

Jerry Bellikka Director of Communications Alberta Finance (780) 427-5364 (780) 718-5699 (cellular)