Government

“We heard very clearly from municipalities that they needed help to address growth pressures and we’re working with them,” said Premier Ed Stelmach. “We have established a secure, long-term funding arrangement for Alberta municipalities, and today is a celebration of our partnership with the City of Edmonton. This funding will address the local priorities identified by city council to better meet the affordable housing and infrastructure needs of Edmontonians.”

The Municipal Sustainability Initiative is a program to provide a flexible, accountable and predictable revenue source for Alberta’s municipalities. Over the 10-year commitment by the province, municipalities will receive $11.3 billion in funding.

“This investment reflects this government’s commitment to address municipal revenue sources and affordable housing concerns here in Edmonton,” said Ray Danyluk, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. “We are putting these funds into the hands of the local decision-makers who best know how to ease growth demands in their own communities.”

“There is no question that Edmonton needs and appreciates support from the province for our infrastructure and attainable housing. This brings needed dollars to some of the most significant issues in our growing city, and the full participation of all orders of government is needed to make meaningful progress,” said Mayor Stephen Mandel. “I am pleased with this support from the Province, which will begin to put real dollars behind our infrastructure and Cornerstones programs, and look forward to growing this partnership as we get moving on our new regional program.”

The City of Edmonton’s infrastructure projects include renewing roadways, light rail transit (LRT), expanding recreational facilities, and ensuring the city’s environmental and economic sustainability. The housing dollars will also be used to purchase land for housing, develop new affordable housing units, purchase and renovate affordable housing units, increase transitional housing and rent supplement programs as well as increase the development of secondary suites.

This year, the province has allocated $400 million for municipalities through MSI, and $285 million in new funding for 2007-08 to address immediate housing pressures across the province as identified in the recommendations from the Alberta Affordable Housing Task Force report. These initiatives are part of the Alberta government’s five-year strategy to create more than 11,000 affordable housing units and support the province’s long-term capital plan.

Addressing municipal sustainability is part of Premier Ed Stelmach’s plan to secure Alberta’s future by building communities, greening our growth and creating opportunity.