Wastewater Aeration Basin, Mackenzie
The federal, provincial and local governments are investing more than $220 million in British Columbia for infrastructure projects under the Canada-British Columbia Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund Agreement, officially signed on June 19, 2006 and amended in 2007. The federal and provincial governments will each contribute up to one-third or $74.5 million of the total program funds. The remainder of funds will come from the local governments. The federal and provincial contribution towards non-green projects will each be capped at a maximum of $1 million.
The Canada-British Columbia Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund's (CBCMRIF) purpose is to improve municipal and rural infrastructure, with the objectives of ensuring that communities, large and small, are sustainable, competitive and healthy centres of economic growth.
A minimum of 80 percent of funding will be targeted toward communities with a population under 250,000 people. At least 60 percent of funding will assist with green local government infrastructure such as water and waste-water systems, public transit, and environmental energy improvements. Up to 40percent of the remaining funding will assist with non-green projects such as local roads, cultural and recreational facilities, infrastructure to support tourism, and broadband connectivity.