Are infrastructure developments actually benefitting smaller communities like Whitecourt?

 

By Laura Bohnert

Mayor Maryann Chichak met with other municipal leaders from across Canada earlier this month in order to form a plan that will ensure that the federal infrastructure investments that are being made actually benefit all communities involved—including Whitecourt.

The meeting took place from September 14 to the morning of September 16 in Oakville, Ontario.  Every province and territory in Canada had one representative in attendance (representatives are chosen through an election process every year, each appointment lasting one year).  Mayor Chichak attended the meeting as representative of Alberta and Whitecourt.

“One of the main topics of conversation at the committee level was the Billed Canada fund,” Chichak explains.  “The Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) lobbies the federal government representing the interests of all communities across Canada.  One of the issues brought forward was the government funding model, and what we would lobby for is a 50 per cent contribution from the federal government.”

“In the past, it’s been a cost shared one third, one third, one third, by all levels of government, federal, provincial, and municipal.  As we move forward with funding, we are hoping to see the federal government contribute 50% of the costs towards infrastructure projects, and that municipal leaders in communities have an opportunity to have input into the funding requirements for their municipalities.”

“Right now, the input is limited, and normally has to be applied for through the grant process with the criteria being set at the federal and provincial level,” Chichak continues.  “From that standpoint, we would like to have more input into what the needs are at the municipal level for projects—is it water and waste water, is it recreation, is it culture? Understanding that the needs will vary community to community, and will also vary depending on size as well as to what the infrastructure needs are.”

“The infrastructure deficit across Canada and Alberta is in the billions of dollars,” states Chichak.  “An interesting statistic,” she adds, “is that municipalities only receive 10 cents of every tax dollar that is collected; however municipalities own 66 per cent of the infrastructure, so going forward, we would like to see a plan put in place, perhaps, that does have the fed government contribute the 50 per cent, but perhaps the provincial counterparts will contribute 40 per cent, and municipalities 10 per cent to really fall in line with how tax dollars are distributed across the country.”

And for small towns in particular, it is important to represent the needs of all sizes of communities at the federal level.

“I think it is important to have a strong voice, not only as a municipal leader, but also at the provincial level through the respective organizations, and also at the federal level, so that Alberta’s needs and the needs of all municipalities are represented at all sizes,” Chichak concludes.  “And I think having Whitecourt as a mid-size or smaller town representing all towns across our province shows that our needs and wants need to be recognized at a federal level, so I am really happy, humbled, and proud to be able to provide that representation.”