Municipal Affairs and Environment
December 29, 2017
Provincial Government Invested in Safe and Sustainable Communities in 2017
With significant investments in 2017, the Department of Municipal Affairs and Environment made great strides in ensuring safe and sustainable communities. In February, the former Department of Municipal Affairs and the Department of Environment and Climate Change combined to form a single department. Since then, the department has seen benefits from bringing together the talents and expertise across issues such as water, wastewater, pollution prevention, infrastructure, climate change and fire and emergency services.
Through Budget 2017, the Honourable Eddie Joyce, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Environment, released a three-year $100 million municipal infrastructure program as was committed through The Way Forward. This includes $10 million for Municipal Capital Works and $70 million for Multi-Year Capital Works projects. As part of the new program, new cost-share ratios were also introduced to support priorities identified by communities and residents, such as clean water and wastewater systems and disaster mitigation projects. Budget 2017 also allocated $1.88 million for fire protection vehicles and firefighting equipment.
Minister Joyce also joined the Honourable Dwight Ball, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, who announced $29.3 million in combined federal and provincial funding under the Small Communities Fund for 77 cost-shared projects, as well as $9.5 million in provincial funding for projects in 28 communities under the Municipal Capital Works program. The department has continued to work with the Federal Government to leverage all available federal funding.
The second annual Premier�s Forum on Local Government was held in the fall, focusing exclusively on regional government. The forum followed comprehensive consultations on regional government that the department had conducted from August to November. The department received valuable feedback and released the results of the consultations earlier this month. This information will used to develop a potential model for regional government or sharing of services pilot to be implemented in 2019 as part of The Way Forward commitments.
In early December, the department launched the first phase of consultations on modernizing municipal legislation. The Provincial Government is aware of the need for modern municipal legislation that is more enabling, less prescriptive and meets the needs of cities and local governments. All residents are encouraged to provide their thoughts and concerns at EngageNL.ca.
The department also reviewed its municipal and environmental permitting processes and ultimately eliminated the policy that requires municipalities to enter into Limit of Service Agreements with the province. This action under The Way Forward allows for greater transparency, greater flexibility in assessing and responding to municipalities� needs, and decreased delays in processing projects.
Quote
�I am proud of our achievements as a department and all we have done this year to enhance services and build sustainable communities together. I look forward to all that we can accomplish together in the new year to benefit Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.�
Honourable Eddie Joyce
Minister of Municipal Affairs and Environment
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Learn more
Provincial Government Announces New Municipal Infrastructure Program: gov.nl.ca/releases/2017/ma/0313n03.aspx
Premier Ball Announces $38.8 Million for Municipal Infrastructure: gov.nl.ca/releases/2017/exec/0901n01.aspx
Premier�s Forum Leads to Valuable Discussions on Regional Government: gov.nl.ca/releases/2017/exec/1102n02.aspx
Provincial Government Begins Consultations for Municipal Legislation: gov.nl.ca/releases/2017/ma/1206n03.aspx
Provincial Government Eliminating Limit of Service Agreements for Municipalities: gov.nl.ca/releases/2017/ma/1106n02.aspx
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Media contact
Lynn Robinson
Municipal Affairs and Environment
709-729-5449, 691-9466
lynnrobinson@gov.nl.ca
2017 12 29 10:05 a.m.