The new federal Gas Tax Program requires municipalities to complete an Integrated Community Sustainability Plan. The CCRC has developed a tool kit to assist municipalities in assessing their sustainability and viability. The CCRC will consult with all municipalities and work with them to complete their assessment. Pilots were successfully completed in 2007-08, and the tool kit will be available to all municipalities throughout the fall of 2008.

"The Department of Municipal Affairs sees an important opportunity for all municipalities through participation in the sustainability self-assessment process," said Minister Denine. "The CCRC has been successful in its initial pilots, and the provincial government is pleased to contribute to its expansion, considering the benefits."

The Gas Tax Agreement provides that Newfoundland and Labrador may use interest earned on federal funds transferred for the Gas Tax Program to fulfill the reporting and audit requirements of the agreement. The agreement requires completion of Integrated Community Sustainability Plans by all municipalities by the year 2010. The sustainability self-assessment tool kit is the first step in developing these plans.

"The information derived from sustainability self-assessment plans will form the basis for the Integrated Community Sustainability Plan required to be prepared by municipalities, under the Gas Tax Agreement," said Minister Denine. "It will subsequently form the basis for further discussions and consultations on local governance structures which have been identified as an important priority of this government."

"This is an important opportunity for councils to identify their strengths and challenges as they move into a broader, long-term sustainability plan," said Graham Letto, President of Municipalities Newfoundland and Labrador. "It's critical that all councils engage in this process to provide a snapshot of their current situation and serve as a critical first step in longer term planning."

The Community Co-operation Resource Centre is a catalyst for developing viable and sustainable communities in Newfoundland and Labrador, actively supporting regional co-operation through the provision of information, research, analysis, training, facilitation and advisory services. Budget 2008 provided $1 million for the Department of Municipal Affairs to help municipalities eliminate barriers to regional co-operation such as disproportionate debt loads and costs of regionalizing service delivery. As well, the budget included funding for a five-year pilot project in regional governance to test the practicality of delivering municipal services over a broad geographic area.

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2008 05 22                                                    2:15 p.m.