SECHELT, BC, July 16, 2021 /CNW/ - The governments of Canada and British Columbia continue to invest in local infrastructure during this extraordinary time to meet the needs of communities, enhance quality of life, and support economic recovery from COVID-19.
Today, Patrick Weiler, Member of Parliament for West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea-to-Sky Country, on behalf of the Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, Nicholas Simons, Member of British Columbia's Legislative Assembly for Powell River-Sunshine Coast, and Her Worship Darnelda Siegers, Mayor of Sechelt, announced funding for a local infrastructure project in Sechelt.
The project will improve active transportation by completing the multi-use pathway network to connect West Sechelt and West Porpoise Bay, as well as the East Porpoise Bay network to downtown Sechelt, including path access to two local elementary schools. Several existing paths and trails will also be improved. In total, approximately 5.5 km of existing roads and pathways will be improved, and 1 km of new bike lanes will be constructed. The pathway network will provide additional means for residents and visitors to move around in the community and various parts of town and tie into the future bike lanes along Sechelt Inlet Road.
The Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia are investing over $3.2 million in this project through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program's new COVID-19 Community Resilience Infrastructure Stream. Canada is contributing nearly $2.6 million, and B.C. is contributing $647,600.
Quotes
"Active transportation is all about harnessing the power of human activity to find quick, affordable, and healthy ways to move around our communities. Through collaboration with our provincial and municipal partners, this project will create pathways and complete a circuit throughout the District of Sechelt for residents to safely walk, bike or skate from one place to another. This funding will help make Sechelt a more healthy, inclusive, and liveable community."
Patrick Weiler, Member of Parliament for West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea-to-Sky Country, on behalf of the Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities
"Public investment in green transportation is essential in making getting around by foot or bike easier, and it will help protect the environment. A multi-use pathway connecting neighbourhoods and communities makes getting to school, work, or just getting out for an afternoon ride safer, healthier, greener, and more fun."
Nicholas Simons, Member of British Columbia's Legislative Assembly for Powell River-Sunshine Coast
"Sechelt is a very active community so being able to bike and walk to our destinations is important to us. This funding will allow us to connect our West Sechelt and East Porpoise Bay Active Transportation networks to downtown, as well as improving several existing paths and trails."
Her Worship Darnelda Siegers, Mayor of Sechelt
"The District is very pleased to be partnering with senior governments to improve the active transportation network in our community. The funding will be used to create new linkages for pedestrians and cyclists between our neighbourhoods and the downtown business area. It will also create safe pathways for school-aged children. All these improvements will make Sechelt a more livable community and help to achieve our greenhouse gas reduction goals."
Kirn Dhillon, Director of Engineering and Operations
Quick facts
- To support Canadians and communities during the COVID-19 pandemic, a COVID-19 Resilience Infrastructure 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 Infrastructure Stream, the federal cost share for public infrastructure projects is up to 80% in the provinces, and up to 100% in the territories and for projects intended for Indigenous communities. For projects that are federally funded at 80%, British Columbia contributed 20% to provide a total cost share of 100%.
- Across B.C., the federal funding of COVID-19 resilience projects is in addition more than $4.4 billion that has already been invested in over 580 infrastructure projects under the Investing in Canada infrastructure plan.
Associated links
Investing in COVID-19 Community Resilience:
https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/covid-19-resilience-eng.html
Investing in Canada: B.C.'s COVID 19 Resilience Infrastructure Stream
www.gov.bc.ca/Investing-in-Canada-Infrastructure-Program
Federal infrastructure investments in British Columbia:
https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/prog-proj-bc-eng.html
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SOURCE Infrastructure Canada
Emelyana Titarenko, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, 873-355-9576, [email protected]; Melanie Kilpatrick, Media Relations, B.C. Ministry of Municipal Affairs, 250-920-6388, [email protected]; Kerianne Poulsen, Executive Assistant, 604-740-8479, [email protected]; Media Relations, Infrastructure Canada, 613-960-9251, Toll free: 1-877-250-7154, Email: [email protected]
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