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| Mayor Lee Brain in Ottawa in April of 2015 (photo from Mayor Brain's Facebook page) |
The process of sourcing out Federal funding is the Holy Grail for many a municipality, as it seeks to gain a share of federal and provincial money for any number of large scale projects that need to be addressed.
The topic of how the City of Prince Rupert is faring when it comes to getting some of that cash came up last week at City Council, as Mayor Lee Brain, taking note of a recent Northern View article on grant applications quite pointedly declared that "the city knows how to write grant applications".
The Mayor's observations on the theme came as the city approved motions to pursue two separate funding applications for a pair of projects related to the city's aging water supply, with the City working towards the deadline of November 23rd for applications.
During the course of his comments to council last week, Mayor Brain did not deliver a list for Council, or for the public watching at home, of any of the Federal infrastructure grant applications that the city may have submitted over the last two years.
A lack of background information that makes it a little hard to gauge the success, or lack of such if that's the case, when it comes to the city's efforts since this current Council group first met following the election of November 2014.
Particularly as it seems that any Federal cheques that may have been in the mail and destined for the North Coast have been few and far between.
The Federal government features its data base of funding announcements through the Infrastructure Canada Department website, a listing that is presently up to date as of September 29th, 2016.
From a review of those listings, when it comes to successful outcomes, Prince Rupert is mentioned only once since the current City Council took office in December of 2014.
That one item is the 2.2 million dollar Federal contribution announced on July 2nd of 2015 delivered towards the City of Prince Rupert's Raw Water Supply Project.
That announcement came on the same day that Port Edward received word of a federal contribution of 1 million dollars for work on the proposed Wampler Way road project.
The two grants that were delivered to the North Coast last year, were part of a larger list of funding confirmations for other communities in the Northwest that were announced at the time.
A look at that list for 2015-16 and what the Federal contributions around the Northwest looked like, goes as follows:
Terrace area
July 7, 2015
Highway 16/CNR Mile 28 Grade Separation -- $17,525,000
June 9, 2015
Northwest Regional Airport Expansion -- $4,442,357
Kitimat
July 2, 2015
Sewage Treatment plant Upgrade -- $1,200,000
Burns Lake
September 9, 2016
Water Tower replacement -- $1,261,741
Stewart
July 2, 2015
Solid Waste Landfill and Waste Treatment System -- $863,000
Houston
July 2, 2015 -
Construction of Water Reservoir and Transmission Lion -- $780,000
While the topic of success or failure in recent years when it comes to seeking out federal money on infrastructure may have made for some discussion in recent weeks around town. When we look at past funding announcements for years previous, other than a short burst of activity six and seven years ago, the Federal distributions have actually been sparse for the Prince Rupert area for much of the last decade.
Using the same infrastructure database which goes as far back as 2004, we find that the Prince Rupert area receives only a handful of mentions when it comes to grabbing some of the available federal cash.
As Prince Rupert and Port Edward staked their claim for infrastructure related projects only eight times during that period.
Prince Rupert/Port Edward
January 29, 2010
Atlin Terminal Renovations and Seismic upgrade -- $952,649
January 29, 2010
Ridley Island Causeway Repairs -- $250,000
January 29, 2010
Ridley Island Water Supply -- $250,000
September 23, 2009
Prince Rupert Sewage Pump -- $748,440
September 1, 2009
Port Edward Water main replacement -- $200,000
August 10, 2009
Community Pathways -- $50,000
February 12, 2009
Hays Creek Sewer Relocation -- $1,332,107
February 12, 2009
Port Edward water mains -- $523,333
By comparison, the remainder of the NorthWest, Haida Gwaii and coastal regions found success with 30 applications, with the database relaying how funding has been delivered for a range of infrastructure projects for both municipal and regional objectives:
Terrace
March 3, 2014
Dutch Valley Stabilization -- $24,159
September 1, 2009
Frank Street Well Generator -- $149,143
August 10, 2009
Grand Trunk Pathway -- $47,112
February 12, 2009
Terrace Industrial Park Access road -- $662,312
July 10, 2007
North Terrace Water extension -- $1,033,000
Kitimat
September 9, 2009
Walkway rejuvenation -- $174,333
December 12, 2007
Kitimat Sewer Lining -- $315,833
Smithers
September 9, 2009
Highway 16 resurfacing -- $1,250,056
August 3, 2009
Highway 16 resurfacing -- $817,317
September 1, 2009
Riverside Campground improvements -- $166,667
August 10, 2009
Toronto Street trail connector -- $18,000
February 12, 2009
Smithers South Trunk Storm Sewer project -- $780,773
July 10, 2007
Smithers airport runway extension -- $1,000,000
Telkwa
September 9, 2009
Watermain replacement phase 1 -- $200,000
Houston
November 11, 2009
Highway 16 - Truck Lanes -- $195,553
September 1, 2009
Well Water Backup power -- $80,043.00
August 10, 2009
Houston Walking, Biking, Cycling project -- $131,250
July 10, 2007
District Heating system -- $789,000
Hazelton
October 11, 2011
Hazelton Dike Erosion protection upgrade -- $86,025
September 9, 2009
Water Distribution System improvements -- $222,855
September 1, 2009
Storm Sewer, Street and sidewalk renewal -- $200,000
February 12, 2009
South Hazelton Water Treatment -- $567,767
Burns Lake
January 28, 2010
Ridler Forest Service Road construction -- $117,412
September 1, 2009
Cultural and Recreational infrastructure -- $113,993
December 12, 2007
Burns Lake Reservoir remediation -- $31,736
Haida Gwaii and Coastal regions
Klemtu
January 25, 2010
Klemtu Terminal -- $8,341,450
Port Clements
September 1 2009
Sewage Treatment Facility upgrade -- $25,785
December 12, 2007
Public Water Supply upgrade -- $326,453
Masset
September 24, 2009
Waterline replacement -- $502,745
September 1, 2009
Northwest Drive Path -- $16,325
As far as the process of seeking out any funding, provincial or federal goes, the onus is on municipalities such as the City of Prince Rupert to make sure that their grant application stands out from all the others and that deadlines for applications aren't missed.
However, they shouldn't have to carry that ball alone, a little help from other political levels, both federal and provincial might help secure to some of that cash.
On that theme, there would seem to be a bit of work yet to be done by the local MP to advocate for those civic initiatives, particularly when it comes to infrastructure issues in Prince Rupert.
If the federal data base is any indication, MP Nathan Cullen, who has represented the riding for all of the period that was reviewed, might want to touch base with the City and help to push some of the concerns of the North Coast up to the front of the Federal line.
If he's looking for a couple of initiatives to champion, those two key ingredients to the city's waterline concerns outlined last week could make for projects to be heard on while he's in Ottawa.
Along with those two applications, the City will no doubt be digesting the latest financial update from the Finance Minister delivered yesterday and the prospects for further infrastructure funding that may be available from the Federal treasury in the year ahead.
Making their list, checking it twice and making sure that any filing dates don't manage to slip by them before they deliver their applications.
A look at the Finance Minister's financial statement and its plans for infrastructure funding can be found on our Darcy McGee portal.
You can find more information related to the city's infrastructure issues available here.
