$8.5 million offered to Clarenville and approximately $3.6 million offered to Torbay
for Multi-Year Capital Works Agreements

Oliver Langdon, Minister of Municipal and Provincial Affairs, announced today offers of $8.5 million and approximately $3.6 million to the towns of Clarenville and Torbay for Multi-Year Municipal Capital Works Agreements.

"These towns have recognized that prioritizing projects over three years provides them with an opportunity to plan for major initiatives and make the most of construction seasons," said Minister Langdon. "The Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Municipalities advocated for multi-year agreements for larger municipalities and I am pleased that we were able to work together to offer this program to a total of 14 municipalities."

Discussions with municipalities and the finalization of priority lists will be completed within weeks. Details of individual projects that will be completed under this specific agreement will be announced during the official signing between the municipality and the province.

The provincial government has committed more than $100 million over three years for the Multi-Year Municipal Capital Works Program which will be cost-shared on a 50/50 basis with larger municipalities.

This Multi-Year Municipal Capital Works Program is the first of three infrastructure and capital works programs that have been committed to for the next three years for a total of $261 million. Projects for this year�s Municipal Capital Works Program, which is cost-shared between the provincial and municipal governments, are expected to be announced in a few weeks. Projects approved under the Canada-Newfoundland Infrastructure Program, which is cost-shared between the provincial, federal and municipal governments, will be announced in accordance with the federal-provincial agreement.

Media contact: Lynn Hammond, Communications, (709) 729-1983.

2002 05 09                           12:30 p.m.