City of Vancouver
Inter-Office Correspondence
CITY ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
January 11, 1996
MEMO TO: Mayor Philip Owen and Councillors
FROM: Dave Rudberg, General Manager of Engineering Services
COPY TO: Ken Dobell, City Manager
SUBJECT: CANADA INFRASTRUCTURE WORKS
BACKGROUND
At the January 31, 1995 Council meeting, Council approved the
recommendation to endorse the Federation of Canadian Municipalities'
resolution to request extension of the Infrastructure Program for a
further two or three year period. Also approved was a recommendation
that the Mayor write the Federal and Provincial governments, urging them
to extend the program, and include the following items in any new
programs:
- more emphasis on reconstruction of aging municipal infrastructure;
- more timely project approvals
- the soft infrastructure segment be eliminated; and
- local representation on the Infrastructure Management Committee.
A letter responding to Council's recommendations on January 31, 1995 was
signed by the Mayor on February 20th, and sent to the Premier, as well
as all Vancouver MLA's and MP's. Subsequently, the Federal Government
announced, through a press release on their 1995 Budget, that the
Infrastructure Program will be extended two years, but with no new
funding. A letter was also received from the Province, noting that they
were prepared to contribute another $225 million to extend the program,
but that no response to this offer has been received from the Federal
government.
During 1995, I have been involved with the FCM in a survey update on the
condition of the Municipal infrastructure. The FCM will be releasing
this report later this month. The survey concludes that there is still
a backlog of work required to upgrade the Municipal infrastructure.
RECENT FCM COMMUNIQUE
A recent communique (see attached) from the Federation of Canadian
Municipalities (FCM) indicates that the Federal Cabinet will soon be
making a decision on an extension of the Canada Infrastructure Works
Program. This program has been successful in that it has provided a
good start on addressing the issue of the deteriorating condition of
municipal infrastructure. In Vancouver, we received funding assistance
for several projects such as left-turn bays, sewer separation, Emergency
Operations & Dispatch Centre, Stanley Theatre and the Pacific Space
Centre. As well, funding was received for improvements to the GVRD's
Annacis Island Treatment Plant.
The FCM's recent communique urges all members to communicate immediately
with their Members of Parliament urging them to communicate with Cabinet
Ministers on the Federal Job Strategy Committee underlining support for
a new Canada Infrastructure Works Program. Accordingly, it is
recommended that Council endorse Councillor Puil's motion:
A. THAT the City of Vancouver urge the Federal Job Strategy Committee
to renew the Infrastructure Program under the following guiding
principles:
- Municipal sponsorship must be retained and projects must be
identified by Municipal governments;
- The program must be accessible to all Municipal governments;
- The three orders of government should be equal partners in the
management of the program;
- the program should build on the success of the National
Infrastructure Program including the allocation formula for
the provinces;
- spending should be incremental; and
- criteria for eligibility must be reasonable as not to preclude
Municipal governments from participating.
It is further recommended:
B. THAT the Mayor write immediately to the Members of Parliament for
the City of Vancouver urging them to communicate with Cabinet
Ministers on the Federal Job Strategy Committee underlining support
for a new Canada Infrastructure Works Program.
D. H. Rudberg, P.Eng.
General Manager of Engineering Services