Canada and Alberta invest in infrastructure projects to improve recreation, active transportation, and emergency response in four communities

GRANDE PRAIRIE, AB, May 17, 2021 /CNW/ - The health and well-being of Canadians are top priorities for the governments of Canada and Alberta. Investments in Alberta's public infrastructure during this extraordinary time help keep people safe, while also creating jobs, supporting local businesses and economies, and making communities more sustainable and resilient.

Today, the Honourable Jim Carr, Minister and Special Representative for the Prairies, on behalf of the Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, and Prasad Panda, Alberta's Minister of Infrastructure, announced funding for 12 infrastructure projects. The projects include upgrades to playgrounds and sports facilities, additional pathways and trails for active transportation, and improvements to emergency response and prevention infrastructure.

In Grande Prairie, several projects will focus on pathways, playgrounds, and tree planting, to help improve the well-being of the community. In support of recreation, ice plants at both the Leduc Recreation Centre in Leduc and the Labour Club Ice Centre in Lethbridge will be replaced. Projects in Red Deer will improve pathways, increase accessibility and encourage sustainable modes of transportation. Part of the funding will also help improve an emergency response centre in Grande Prairie which will allow the city to respond to large-scale emergencies.

The Government of Canada is investing more than $9.1 million in these projects through the COVID-19 Resilience Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program. This funding is conditional on fully satisfying environmental assessment requirements and consultations with Indigenous groups. Contributions by recipients toward their respective projects are more than $2.2 million.

Quotes

"Residents in Grande Prairie, Leduc, Lethbridge and Red Deer will benefit from improved recreation facilities, more active transportation options and upgrades to emergency response infrastructure. The Government of Canada's infrastructure plan invests in thousands of projects, creates jobs across the country, and builds cleaner, more inclusive communities."

The Honourable Jim Carr, Minister and Special Representative for the Prairies, on behalf of the Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities

"Getting construction started and completed on these infrastructure projects will help ensure these Alberta communities remain vibrant and viable particularly important in light of challenges brought on by the pandemic. These projects are helping to protect the lives and livelihoods of Albertans by promoting healthy economic activity throughout the areas and supporting good-paying jobs for local workers."

Prasad Panda, Alberta's Minister of Infrastructure

"The Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program provides direct economic stimulus to Grande Prairie by funding infrastructure projects that immediately create jobs. The funding will have a lasting impact on Grande Prairie by investing in projects that promote a healthy, active community for the future through important pedestrian links and enhanced recreation facilities."

Jackie Clayton, Mayor of Grande Prairie

Quick facts

• To support Canadians and communities during the current pandemic, a COVID-19 Resilience Stream has been added to the over $33-billion Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program to help fund pandemic-resilient infrastructure. Existing program streams have also been adapted to include more eligible project categories.
• Under the COVID-19 Resilience Stream, the federal cost share for public infrastructure projects is 80 per cent in the provinces, and 100 per cent in the Territories and for projects intended for Indigenous communities.
• Through the Investing in Canada plan, the federal government is investing more than $180 billion over 12 years in public transit projects, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, trade and transportation routes, and Canada's rural and northern communities.
• As part of the Investing in Canada plan, the Government of Canada has invested over $5 billion in more than 410 infrastructure projects in Alberta.

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Backgrounder: Canada and Alberta invest in infrastructure projects to improve recreation, active transportation, and emergency response in four communities

Backgrounder

Canada and Alberta invest in infrastructure projects to improve recreation, active transportation, and emergency response in four communities

Funding through the Investing in Canada plan will support 12 infrastructure projects in Alberta. The Government of Canada is investing more than $9.1 million in these projects through the COVID-19 Resilience Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program. Contributions by recipients toward their respective projects are more than $2.2 million. Funding recipients are responsible for any additional project costs.

These projects will include improvements to playgrounds and sports facilities, upgrades to pathways and trails which will allow for increased active transportation and emergency response and prevention infrastructure.

Project information

Location	Project Name	Project Details	Federal Funding	Provincial Funding	Municipal Funding
Grande Prairie	North Bike Park	Designing and building of a bike skills park.	$240,000	$0	$60,000
Grande Prairie	Emergency Response and Activity Center	Designing and construction of a pre-engineered building to serve as emergency accommodations for City response to a large-scale emergency or disaster.	$3,200,000	$0	$800,000
Grande Prairie	Hillside Paths and Trees	Installing new multi-use paths and new street trees within the Hillside subdivision.	$194,021	$0	$52,179
Grande Prairie	Maskwôtêh Bridge	Installing a pedestrian bridge across Bear Creek, including the construction of an asphalt pathway, to link Maskwôtêh Park and the new Grande Prairie Regional Hospital.	$176,000	$0	$44,000
Grande Prairie	Playground Upgrades and Surfacing	Upgrading two playgrounds, as well as three playground surfacing installations.	$240,000	$0	$60,000
Grande Prairie	Trail Resurfacing and Missing Links	Repairing critical trail sites, and installing new path connections.	$800,000	$0	$200,000
Grande Prairie	Tree Replacements	Planting over 300 trees within the City to assist with carbon sequestration and mitigate flooding by water absorption.	$108,160	$0	$27,040
Leduc	Recreational Centre Performance Arena - Plant Ice Chiller	Replacing the ice plant chiller and expanding the ice chiller storage area.	$200,000	$0	$50,000
Lethbridge	Labor Club Ice Plant Replacement	Replacing the ice plant.	$960,000	$0	$240,000
Red Deer	Trail Overlays 2021	Overlaying approximately two to four kilometers of park trails for the benefit of pedestrians and cyclists.	$197,234	$0	$49,309
Red Deer	Road/Sidewalk Rehab/Pedestrian Connections/Mobility Program	Constructing and improving sidewalks, multi-use pathways, bike racks, bike lanes and transit stops.	$2,618,560	$0	$654,640
Red Deer	Red Deer 2021 Asphalt Sidewalk Repairs	Repairing and/or reconstructing asphalt sidewalks.	$188,232	$0	$47,058

Associated links

Investing in Canada: Canada's Long-Term Infrastructure Plan
http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/icp-publication-pic-eng.html

Investing in Canada Plan Project Map
http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/map

Federal infrastructure investments in Alberta
https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/prog-proj-ab-eng.html

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SOURCE Infrastructure Canada

Chantalle Aubertin, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, 613-941-0660, [email protected]; Hadyn Place, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Infrastructure, 780-643-6322, [email protected]; Media Relations, Infrastructure Canada, 613-960-9251, Toll free: 1-877-250-7154, Email: [email protected]

Related Links

www.infrastructure.gc.ca