By Chris Brown

$1.1 billion program

Province announces stimulus program for municipalities

Jul 28, 2020 | 12:26 PM

EDMONTON – The provincial government has earmarked more than $1.1 billion for Alberta municipalities to help revitalize their economies and create jobs.

Premier Jason Kenney said the money will “build core infrastructure and help local governments cope with the COVID crisis while creating thousands of good-paying jobs right now.”

He said the $1.1 billion includes $500 million the government has already committed in the recovery plan. The rest comes from the partnership with the federal government under the Safe Restart Agreement.

The province will match $233 million in federal funding to support municipal operating costs and $70 million to support public transit operations through the pandemic where revenue has collapsed, said Kenney.

Municipal Affairs Minister Kaycee Madu called the investment historic.

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“We have heard loud and clear the concerns of our municipalities,” said Madu. “We know time is of the essence and we are ready to act.”

The funding is part of what Kenney calls a strategy to build, to diversify and create jobs and “the largest building program in the history of our province” and is expected to create 2,500 jobs this year and in 2021.

Kenney says municipal infrastructure funding will see a boost of 30 per cent from the support package,