The CEO of New North is calling on both the federal and provincial governments to revamp a national infrastructure program.
Al Loke says 90 per cent of the Provincial-Territorial Infrastructure Component goes to large cities with a mere 10 per cent allocated for projects in communities with populations of 100,000 people or less.
Loke says this amounts to $43 million over ten years which does not come close to meeting the needs of northern communities.
“So, it leaves the north way out on the limb because some of the southern communities will definitely have a better advantage of getting that money because they’re close to the government,” he says. “And we just feel that split has to be changed. That’s the split that was put forward by the federal government.”
Loke says the funding is through the New Building Canada Plan and the formula has not been finalized, so there is still time for adjustments.
“What we want to see happen is for the province to go back to the federal government and change the split to maybe a 60-40 instead of a 90-10 – allowing more money to come to the municipalities to address their water and sewer needs throughout the province.”
Loke says New North is contacting municipal leaders and would like to work with the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association and Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities to get the provincial government to negotiate and have the funding allocation split changed.