Transportation and Works
Health and Community Services
Municipal and Intergovernmental Affairs
Education
Advanced Education and Skills
Justice
Tourism, Culture and Recreation
March 27, 2014

BACKGROUNDER

Budget 2014 Investments in Infrastructure

Budget 2014 investments totalling $852.7 million are focused on advancing strategic infrastructure in rural and urban communities, as well as the management of Newfoundland and Labrador’s transportation network. An overview of the infrastructure investments by Provincial Government departments and agencies, as detailed in other budget announcements, is enclosed below.

Transportation and Works

• More than $81 million for upgrades and enhancements to the provincial highways, roads, and bridges which includes an early announcement of $30 million on January 9, 2014, to ensure an early start to road work construction and full utilization of the construction season. This marks one of the largest investments ever in the Provincial Roads Program in the last 25 years, outside of responding to Hurricane Igor;
• $76.3 million for widening and upgrading of phases two and three of the Trans Labrador Highway and $7.3 million for completion of the Labrador West to Happy Valley-Goose Bay portion of the Trans Labrador Highway, which will be completed in 2014;
• $71.5 million for ferry vessel replacement and ongoing maintenance;
• $32.7 million for ongoing and planned improvements to public buildings, including the Confederation Building and Sir Richard Squires Building;
• $28.5 million has been allocated for the construction of a new lift bridge in Placentia and replacement of the Sir Robert Bond Bridge in central Newfoundland;
• $27.7 million to manage and operate the Provincial Government’s fleet of 620 pieces of heavy equipment, which includes plow trucks, loaders, backhoes, brush clearing equipment, and paint trucks;
• $11.7 million has been allocated for the purchase of two new water bombers from Bombardier Aerospace, which builds on the $40.6 million that was invested in the 2013-14 fiscal year;
• $8.5 million for improvements to marine terminals and wharfs to accommodate the new ferries, which is part of the Provincial Government’s Vessel Replacement Strategy; and,
• $2.4 million to construct three to four salt sheds to minimize the environmental footprint on departmental worksites.

Health and Community Services

• Over the past 11 years, more than 40 new health care infrastructure projects have been announced in all regions of the province. Through Budget 2014, more than $189 million has been allocated for infrastructure, which includes $119 million for construction and redevelopment, $50.5 million for new equipment, and $20 million for repairs and renovations.

Municipal and Intergovernmental Affairs

• A new three-year $200 million municipal capital works program, as announced on March 11, 2014, will fund high-priority areas such as the delivery of clean drinking water, as well as upgrades to roads and wastewater systems. As part of this program, approximately $100 million is being allocated to the province’s seven largest municipalities. This takes into consideration prior levels of funding for municipal infrastructure and Municipal Operating Grants, to ensure that their needs are being adequately addressed.

Education

• $128.1 million for new and ongoing school infrastructure projects, including:
  • $99.3 million for ongoing capital projects;
  • $19.2 million for priority repairs and maintenance; and,
  • Close to $9.7 million in new capital for: a new school in Coley’s Point; extensions to St. Peter’s Junior High, Mount Pearl and Elizabeth Park Elementary, Paradise; the partial reconstruction of Gander Academy (to serve as a K-3 facility), among other projects.

Advanced Education and Skills

• More than $19 million for Memorial University, which includes $5 million for the continued upgrades of Memorial University’s older student residences and $2.6 million for ongoing modernization of science laboratories. Since 2004, the Provincial Government has allocated $262 million to Memorial University for a variety of infrastructure improvements such as new residences at St. John’s and Grenfell campuses.; and,
• $4 million for College of the North Atlantic, including $1.5 million for a medical sciences laboratory at the Grand Falls-Windsor campus and $1.7 million for industrial shop modernization at college campuses. Since 2004, the Provincial Government has allocated more than $48 million in infrastructure improvements for College of the North Atlantic.

Justice

• $1 million to advance the planning for the development of a new correctional facility for the province.

Tourism, Culture and Recreation

• $175,000 for enhancements at Provincial Historic Sites, which is part of a $1.2 million, multi-year plan. This plan preserves the province’s built and cultural heritage, supports the telling of the province's stories and contributes to a strong Newfoundland and Labrador tourism industry.

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Media contacts:

Scott Barfoot Director of Communications Department of Transportation and Works; Labrador and Aboriginal Affairs 709-729-3015, 690-6290 scottbarfoot@gov.nl.ca	Jennifer Tulk Director of Communications Department of Health and Community Services 709-729-1377, 728-4104 jennifertulk@gov.nl.ca
Hugh Donnan Director of Communications Department of Municipal and Intergovernmental Affairs 709-729-1983, 725-6511 hughdonnan@gov.nl.ca	Heather May Director of Communications Department of Education 709-729-0048, 697-5061 heathermay@gov.nl.ca
John Tompkins Director of Communications Department of Advanced Education and Skills 709-729-0753, 728-7762 jtompkins@gov.nl.ca	Luke Joyce Director of Communications Department of Justice 709-729-6985, 725-4165 lukejoyce@gov.nl.ca
Melony O’Neill Director of Communications Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation 709-729-0928, 689-0928 moneill@gov.nl.ca

2014 03 27                                  2:55 p.m.