Chong Announces Full Federal Gas Tax Funding of $1.5 Million for Halton Hills Federal Gas Tax Funding to Double for 2009 and Payment to Municipalities Accelerated
GEORGETOWN, ON – Families in Acton and Georgetown will soon see faster improvements to roads and other local infrastructure thanks to the government’s doubling of gas tax transfers to municipalities, said Wellington-Halton Hills MP Michael Chong.
“Our government is doubling to $1,565,649 the annual funding that Halton Hills receives from the Gas Tax Fund and is making the money available almost three months earlier,” said Chong. “This is part of an increased investment from gas taxes of about $1 Billion for municipalities in Ontario this year. It will help create jobs, boost sales for local businesses and improve the quality of life for the families of Halton Hills during this global economic downturn.”
This latest announcement builds on the Conservative government’s previous action of making the gas tax transfers to municipalities permanent. This year’s doubling of these gas transfers will help keep Halton Hills a good place for families to live and work by allowing the municipality to maintain local infrastructure, like roads, bridges and water treatment systems.
The federal gas tax transfers to municipalities will double April 1, 2009, and will provide a total of $2 billion per year for municipalities. The Government of Canada is accelerating the first payment of the gas tax fund by almost three months, making up to $1 billion available to municipalities almost three months early. The first payment will be made in April.
Through Canada’s Economic Action Plan, the Government of Canada is building on the existing federal investment of $33 billion in infrastructure with almost $12 billion in new infrastructure stimulus funding over the next two years. “Our government is proud to be working with provinces and municipalities to deliver stable, predictable funding for infrastructure that Canadians use and depend on every day,” said Chong.