Feds announce $555.8M for infrastructure in Newfoundland and Labrador

The federal and provincial government have signed a new 10-year agreement that will see more than half a billion dollars spent in Newfoundland and Labrador on community infrastructure projects.

Under the terms of the deal, $555.8million will go toward public transit, green infrastructure andrecreational, cultural and community infrastructure, as well as to rural and northern communities.

The breakdown is as follows:

• $302,364,807 for projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, help offset the effects of climate change, and ensure clean air and water.
  
• $109,071,324 for new urban transit networks and service extensions.
  
• $104,638,175 for projects that "improve the quality of life in rural and northern communities by responding to ruraland northern specific needs."
  
• $39,768,539 for community, cultural and recreational infrastructure "to build stronger communities and improve social inclusion."

According to a press release from the provincial government Monday morning, the federal funding will be combined withcontributions fromprovincial and municipal governments, as well as other partners.

The funding will be made through the federal government's Investing in Canada plan, introduced in 2016.

Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Dwight Ball said there isn't a community in the province that can't use more infrastructure money, and noted that the half-billion deal wasn't all of the money set to be spent in the province.

"There will also be provincial money that will be added to that as well as, in many cases, some money from the communities themselves," he said. Factoring in provincial contributions as well as municipal funding, he said, Monday's announcement amounts to more than $1 billion in work that will be done.

"We're looking for projects now," he said. "We'll be sending our projects up through, once they get through our approval process, to Ottawa and then back into the communities."

Federal Infrastructure Minister Franois-Philippe Champagne called the funding announcement a historic moment.

"Out of memory, I can say that this is the largest investment we've done in infrastructure in Newfoundland and Labrador."

The provincial government says a call for new proposed projects will be made in the coming weeks.

With files from Terry Roberts

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