Avondale Receives Municipal Capital Works Funding

The Town of Avondale will receive $246,680 through the 2008-09 Municipal Capital Works (MCW) program to finance the upgrading of Terry�s Road. The MCW program fosters the development of cost-shared projects in a wide range of municipal infrastructure, including roads, water and waste-water treatment, recreational facilities and fire equipment.

�The Provincial Government is committed to working with municipalities and making strategic infrastructure investments,� said the Honourable Dianne Whalen, Minister of Municipal Affairs. �I am pleased that through this funding, Avondale residents will benefit from improvements to an important local road.�

The Honourable Tom Hedderson, MHA for the District of Harbour Main, welcomed today�s announcement. "This funding will certainly improve the driving conditions for the residents of Terry's Road,� said Minister Hedderson. �I commend the Town of Avondale for working with the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador to ensure infrastructure improvements such as this may take place.�

Through the 2008-09 program, $33.4 million will be spent on many infrastructure improvement projects province-wide. Under the program, the Provincial Government will contribute $28.9 million and the municipalities will contribute $4.5 million. Towns will also utilize the Federal GST rebate as part of the capital cost.

In April, the Provincial Government announced revised cost-share ratios for municipalities. These new changes state that towns with populations under 3,000 now have to contribute only 10 per cent toward the cost of capital infrastructure. Towns with populations between 3,000 and 7,000 contribute 20 per cent and the largest cities and towns with populations over 7,000 contribute 30 per cent.

- 30 -

Media contact:
Jennifer Collingwood
Director of Communications
Department of Municipal Affairs
709-729-1983, 690-2498
JenniferCollingwood@gov.nl.ca