Municipal Affairs
April 9, 2009New Framework Simplifies Gas Tax
Process
The Department of Municipal Affairs has created a new framework and
guide to assist municipalities in Newfoundland and Labrador to develop
an Integrated Community Sustainability Plan (ICSP) under the federal Gas
Tax Agreement.
In an effort to encourage regional cooperation, $200,000 was
allocated under Budget 2009 to assist municipalities with administrative
costs when three or more municipalities agree to work together to
prepare a collaborative ICSP.
"The ICSP is meant to be a strategic planning document that is
constantly evolving and updated as necessary," said the Honourable
Dianne Whalen, Minister of Municipal Affairs. "By following the steps
outlined in the new framework, municipalities should be able to develop
efficient and effective plans. We would also encourage more
municipalities to consider how they may work together as they think
about strategies to strengthen their communities."
The $82 million Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Agreement on the
Transfer of Federal Gas Tax Revenues was announced in August 2006.
Municipalities and Inuit Community Governments in the province can use
this funding towards environmentally sustainable municipal
infrastructure projects, such as water, wastewater management, solid
waste management, public transit, community energy systems, and roads
and bridges.
Eligible recipients who have signed the Gas Tax Agreement are
expected to develop an ICSP that sets out their environmental, social,
cultural, governance and economic objectives over a five-year time
frame.
The department, in consultation with Municipalities Newfoundland and
Labrador and the Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Municipal
Administrators, has developed a framework and guide to simplify the
process and to enable municipalities to incorporate relevant existing
plans including community or land use plans. These documents build on
the work of the Municipal Sustainability Self-Assessment created by
Municipalities Newfoundland and Labrador.
Each ICSP should include public input and describe the
environmentally sustainable infrastructure projects that will be
developed with gas tax funding. Under the Gas Tax Agreement,
municipalities must complete an ICSP by March 31, 2010.
"I urge municipalities to take advantage of this unique opportunity
to begin planning for their long term sustainability," said Minister
Whalen. "The gas tax fund is a significant investment in municipal
infrastructure for Newfoundland and Labrador and the ICSP is part of the
terms of agreement."
Officials from the Department of Municipal Affairs are currently
holding information sessions with individual municipalities across the
province to discuss the framework and to offer assistance.
The framework and guide can be found on the Municipal Affairs website
at www.gov.nl.ca/ma/icsp.html
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Media contact:
Susanne Hiller
Director of Communications
Municipal Affairs
709-729-1893, 697-3760
susannehiller@gov.nl.ca
BACKGROUNDER
Gas Tax Funding for Newfoundland and Labrador
In August 2006, Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador signed
the Canada � Newfoundland and Labrador Agreement on the Transfer
of Federal Gas Tax Revenues 2006-2015.
Between 2006 and 2010, Newfoundland and Labrador�s share of
the federal gas tax funding is $82.25 million.
Allocation of over $82.2 million in federal
gas tax revenues to
Newfoundland and Labrador
Fiscal year |
Gas Tax Revenues |
2006-07 |
$19,740,000 |
2007-08 |
$13,160,000 |
2008-09 |
$16,450,000 |
2009-10 |
$32,900,000 |
TOTAL |
$82,250,000 |
- Gas tax funds are to
be invested in environmentally-sustainable municipal
infrastructure
.
Eligible project categories include water, wastewater, solid
waste, public transit, community energy systems, municipal
capacity building, and transportation infrastructure, where it
can be demonstrated that they will enhance environmental
sustainability outcomes.
- These investments
will result in significant environmental benefits, such as
cleaner air, cleaner water and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.
- The intra-provincial
allocation formula provides $21.88 million for the
implementation of Newfoundland and Labrador's Regional Waste
Management Strategy. The remaining funds are distributed on a
per capita basis, while also providing $6.03 million to ensure a
base level of funding for the smallest jurisdictions.
- An Oversight
Committee, with representatives from the provincial and federal
governments and Municipalities Newfoundland and Labrador (MNL),
monitors the program and develops new directions and
initiatives.
- The governments of
Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador work with municipalities to
enhance community sustainability and to encourage cooperation in
infrastructure projects among municipalities and between
municipalities and First Nations on reserve.
Examples of Eligible Projects
Water Infrastructure
Drinking water supply systems, treatment and distribution
systems, and water metering systems
Wastewater Infrastructure
Sanitary sewer systems and storm water systems
Solid Waste Infrastructure
Waste diversion, material recovery facilities, organics
management, collection depots, waste disposal landfills, thermal
treatment, and landfill gas recuperation
Community Energy Systems
Cogeneration or combined heat and power projects (where heat
and power are produced through a single process)
District heating and cooling projects where heat or cooling
is distributed to more than one building.
Transportation Infrastructure
Active transportation infrastructure (e.g. bike lanes), local
roads, arterial roads, regional roads and bridges that enhance
sustainability outcomes, including construction, reconstruction,
and rehabilitation of roads, bridges and other ancillary works,
parks or sidewalks, lighting and traffic control.
Capacity Building
Collaboration: building partnerships, strategic alliances,
participation, consultation and outreach.
Knowledge: use of new technology, research, monitoring and
evaluation.
Integration: planning, policy development and implementation,
such as environmental management systems and life cycle
assessment.
Public Transit
Rapid transit such as light rail, ferries and park and ride
facilities.
Buses, and transit bus stations.
Technologies to improve transit, priority signaling and
traffic information and transit operations.
2009 04 09 4:25 p.m.
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