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"But
even when the consequences are not catastrophic, the
infrastructure decay we all see around us should not be
taken for granted. It points to a looming crisis that, if
unchecked, will reduce our standard of living, our safety
and our quality of life."
The
federation released a report that shows Canada's public
infrastructure, much of which is more than four decades
old, is in a crumbling state of repair and that the pace
of deterioration is accelerating. Mr. Steeves said the
problem requires a national solution.
The
federal Conservative government has promised $33-billion
for infrastructure investments across Canada over the next
seven years. That includes a full refund of all GST paid
by municipalities as well as the transfer, to municipal
governments, of a portion of the federal gasoline tax.
But
that is not nearly enough, said Mr. Steeves, adding that
the money flows on an "ad hoc basis" to the
provinces, which often have priorities that are different
from those of the municipalities.
The
municipalities are "the level of government that is
in the best position to determine what their own
infrastructure needs are," Mr. Steeves said.
"There is no one that knows better the challenges
that are facing these particular cities than the
administrations that run those places themselves."
Ontario
Premier Dalton McGuinty said he recently tried to interest
Prime Minister Stephen Harper in the idea of giving
municipalities money to help repair roads, bridges and
sewers, but Mr. Harper was less than receptive.
"We
respect provincial jurisdiction in this area,"
Lawrence Cannon, the federal Minister of Transportation
and Infrastructure, said yesterday. "I call upon the
cities to go and sit down with the provincial
authorities."
Mr.
Cannon said the important thing to remember is that money
is available to municipalities and that money is flowing.
"My suggestion is that other people should be able to
step up to the plate. The federal government has stepped
up to the plate."
In
Toronto, Mayor David Miller said the report by the
Canadian Federation of Municipalities "illustrates
the seriousness of the challenges facing cities."
He
added that his city puts a priority on bridge repairs,
which means that other non-emergency maintenance gets
pushed back. "We need Ottawa and Queen's Park to
recognize the serious infrastructure challenge of Canada's
cities and act," Mr. Miller said.
In
suburban Mississauga, west of Toronto, Mayor Hazel
McCallion recently raised property taxes by 5 per cent,
saying the money is needed for infrastructure repair and
blaming federal neglect. She, Mr. Miller and the mayors of
13 other large cities across Ontario have launched a
campaign to secure one of the existing six cents of the
GST per dollar of retail purchases.
"This
is a national crisis, it deserves a national
resolve," said David Christopherson, an NDP MP from
Hamilton who is a former municipal councillor.
"If
you offered someone the choice between a tax cut on the
one hand and making sure that the glass of water that you
are about to give your child is not going to kill them, I
think it's pretty clear which one Canadians would
choose."
Source
: Globe and Mail - Canada, dated 21/11/2007
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