St. Albert will get continue to get its piece of the federal gas tax pie.
The governments of Alberta and Canada announced a renewed 10-year federal Gas Tax Fund agreement on Monday, which will see an estimated $2.27 billion flow from the federal government’s coffers to Alberta’s, with the money going to support infrastructure around the province.
In 2014 municipalities across Alberta received $208-million towards their community projects, with St. Albert bringing home $3.34 million, an increase over the $3.26 million received by the city in 2013.
In the past, St. Albert has used its gas tax proceeds for a variety of projects like transit centre upgrades and storm water infrastructure rehabilitation.
The money is hardly unexpected, with an estimated $3.37-million federal gas tax funding already built into the city’s proposed 2015 capital budget. It was unclear if the renewed announcement included any extra cash, and it did not confirm municipal allocations for 2015.
The majority of those dollars in 2015 are planned to go towards the reconstruction of collector roads to the tune of $2.1 million.
Municipalities like St. Albert rely on provincial and federal grant funding to help build and maintain infrastructure, said Mayor Nolan Crouse.
“It’s fundamentally important to us and to other municipalities across Alberta,” Crouse said.
Alberta’s department of Muniicpal Affairs notes on their website that gas tax funding is based on population, with a minimum allocation of $50,000.
The Gas Tax Fund was made permanent in 2011.
