The 2011 Election: another urban funding call
Posted Apr 13, 2011 1:40 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The Canadian Urban Institute is calling on federal party leaders to make infrastructure funding for cities an issue in the current election campaign.
“I see some of them kind of drifting into that, and touching on that as part of their platforms,” says CUI President Fred Eisenberger, who fully agrees with a recent editorial by Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi on the issue and is optimistic leaders will make sustainable money a priority. “Hopefully that will continue through the course of the next two or three weeks, that we get more of a demonstration of their understanding of the problem and some resolve to get at it strategically with other levels of government.”
Eisenberger tells 660News some of the leaders have touched on the subject and he’s optimtistic about further dialogue.
“There may be some reluctance as for political parties to get into this issue, but I think there’s going to be a human cry across the country from mayors like Mayor Nenshi and others in our broader community,” adds Eisenberger. “I hope that those issues get more attention in this federal campaign, and that they really start talking about a strategic infrastructure plan as well as a transportation plan, neither of which exists beyond the Build Canada Fund which is kind of a hit and miss approach.”
He says Canadian cities are currently facing an infrastructure deficit of at least $125 billion. With roads, bridges and water treatment plants needing to be replaced, he says that cost cannot be born by the municipal tax payer alone.
