Cypress County’s Kurpjuweit advances rural priorities during FCM meetings in Ottawa

“It’s easy for small municipalities to be overlooked when you’re competing with $200 million asks for transit with the city of Calgary, or billion-dollar projects,” he added.

“Then you have some small municipality where $100,000 would go a long way on a bridge project or something like that.”

For Cypress County, securing access to those funding opportunities could help address infrastructure needs while preparing for potential growth in the region.

Kurpjuweit said another key takeaway from the Ottawa meetings was the importance of having projects ready to move forward when funding becomes available.

“One thing that I heard more than anything is that speed and execution matter. A lot of this work that needs to be done, it needs to be done right now,” Kurpjuweit said.

He said municipalities need to be proactive about planning and preparing projects rather than waiting for funding programs to open.

Kurpjuweit said the discussions also highlighted the importance of municipalities working with other levels of government to coordinate projects and avoid being caught unprepared as major investments move forward.

Defence infrastructure was also discussed, particularly in light of the significant investment at Canadian Forces Base Suffield near Medicine Hat.

“I really do believe that this [$750 million] that they’re spending in Suffield right now is really just the first drop in the bucket,” Kurpjuweit said.

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READ: Canadian Forces Base Suffield included in $8B Alberta defence investment

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He said the FCM has identified the potential for up to $6 billion in infrastructure costs to fall to municipalities as the federal government moves ahead with planned defence upgrades across Canada.

Kurpjuweit said municipalities need to coordinate with other levels of government to ensure the infrastructure required to support defence investments is planned and funded appropriately, rather than leaving local taxpayers to absorb the costs.

“We really need to be prepared for that and make sure that we advocate strongly so that it doesn’t fall onto the shoulders of the municipalities to bear,” Kurpjuweit said.

Housing was also part of the discussions, including the need to find more efficient ways to support construction and improve affordability in rural communities.

“We want to be able to see new homes being built where we can find more efficient ways to do things so that housing can be more affordable and more accessible for families,” Kurpjuweit said.

“It is a real challenge for young people right now to get into the market.”

Kurpjuweit said the meetings reinforced the importance of rural municipalities having a voice in federal discussions and making sure they know what funding opportunities are available.

“It’s amazing how much funding is out there,” he said.

He said municipalities need to take the initiative to seek out opportunities and advocate for their communities.

“We’re not sitting around. We are legitimately, proactively going out,” Kurpjuweit said.

Kurpjuweit said being involved in those conversations can help municipalities identify opportunities they might otherwise miss.

“It’s an amazing opportunity; there’s so many things that are out there that if you’re not at the table, a lot of times you don’t even know that there are opportunities,” Kurpjuweit said.

by Jett Schwaier

Cypress County’s Kurpjuweit advances rural priorities during FCM meetings in Ottawa

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