Approximately $9 million offered to Gander for Multi-Year Capital Works Agreement

Sandra Kelly, MHA - Gander, on behalf of Oliver Langdon, Minister of Municipal and Provincial Affairs, announced today an offer of approximately $9 million to the Town of Gander for a Multi-Year Municipal Capital Works Agreement.

"This agreement will provide for a total capital works expenditure of $8,995,476 over three years, cost-shared on a 50/50 basis between the Town of Gander and the Department of Municipal and Provincial Affairs," said Minister Kelly. "Although final contracts remain to be signed, thus far it is understood that the funding will provide for the construction of a water treatment plant, at a cost of approximately $8 million, as well as $1 million for road work.

"As a former mayor of Gander, I know the difference this sort of agreement can make to a municipality. On behalf of Minister Langdon and myself, I am so pleased that the major priorities identified by the council and citizens of Gander, a new water treatment plant and road work are being funded."

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: Janice Lockyer, Communications, Youth Services and Post-Secondary Education, (709) 729-6573.

2002 05 09                              5:15 p.m.