UBCM report highlights range of projects across BC funded by Federal Gas Tax

 

Municipal infrastructure requirements have gained some significant financial help in recent years, with cities and town across British Columbia putting money from the gas pumps of their communities to work on a range of projects large and small.

The Union of British Columbia Municipalities, which administers and distributes the Federal Gas Tax monies to the communities of the province has released their most recent review of how the communities have put that funding to work. 

Putting the spotlight on a number of impressive projects moving forward thanks to the injection of the funds.

The report released at the end of December, highlights the funding from 2019 which saw more than $559 million transferred during the program year for the benefit of local government infrastructure priorities. 

That amount made for the largest single annual transfer of funds in the 15 years of the program 

Among some of the interesting projects found elsewhere, a Complete Streets program for Courtenay on Vancouver Island, A Bike Trail network for Victoria, water treatment upgrades for Merrit, as well as construction of an Aquatic Centre in Vanderhoof.

Prince Rupert's four Gas Tax related projects from 2019 didn't make it to the spotlight section of the report, but how City Council allocated their share of the Gas Tax money that year did find some space in the community-by-community chart that accounts for the funding.

In total UBCM notes that Prince Rupert received just shy of one million dollars with $950,124.34 distributed to the City in 2019.

The projects in Prince Rupert that were noted by UBCM included:

Road Paving -- $554,000
Disinfection Upgrade for the Earl Mah Aquatic Centre -- $198,000
Ammonia Emergency Exhaust Upgrade -- $113,124.34
HVAC Upgrade for the Lester Centre -- $85,000

The 2019 funding for Port Edward included two project

Water Treatment Plant upgrades -- $114,536.43

Asset Management Program -- $24,058.91

You can review the full UBCM report here.

More notes on City Council/City Hall themes can be explored from our archive page here.

A look at the City's success at grant funding requests and other funds from senior government can be reviewed here.