Infrastructure cash for Coaldale
Funding has been announced for more than 100 municipalities across Canada to receive infrastructure grants for their developing programs.
As part of the country’s five-year $75-million climate innovation program (MCIP), and their fiveyear $50-million Municipal Asset Management Program (MAMP), collective funding of over $6.8 million has recently been announced to support the initiatives of 103 municipalities .
One southern Alberta community that will be reaping the benefits of the funding is Coaldale, which will be receiving $50,000 to go towards funding their Asset Condition Assessment Program for data collection and reporting.
“The project will build an Asset Condition Assessment Program to continuously rate the condition of Town-owned infrastructure assets. The intent of the project is to develop a program that can be administered regularly and routinely to help us understand our infrastructure and proactively monitor its condition,” says Kelli Tuttle, manager of Fleet and Assets for the Town of Coaldale.
Tuttle says this program will help the town to make better decisions regarding the maintenance and replacement of infrastructure.
It will also help in making better investments with resources in relation to implementing and using them where most needed so the greatest number of people can benefit from these improvements.
Tuttle adds this program will help better prepare the town to manage emergencies and disasters should they come around.
“Funding for this initiative by the Municipal Asset Management Program delivered by FCM and funded by the Government of Canada has allowed the Town of Coaldale to launch the program and develop criteria for measuring the condition of our infrastructure today and into the future,” says Tuttle.
The MCIP and MAMP are two programs running within the country by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and funded by the Government of Canada to help municipalities make informed decisions on infrastructure investments as well as remaining aware of the potential effects of climate change on infrastructure investment decisions.
“These new programs will help municipalities to plan, build and maintain their infrastructure more strategically, and will enable them to invest in infrastructure projects reducing greenhouse gas emissions and better preparing for the impacts of climate change,” says Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, Amarjeet Sohi.
Besides Coaldale, 96 other communities in Canada will also be receiving 102 grants of different amounts through the two programs.
Eleven of those communities that will be seeing money go toward their projects are from Alberta, including Bonnyville, Devon, Castor, Red Deer and Edmonton. Coaldale is the only community in the south to be awarded a grant.