The Canadian And Québec Governments Are Giving To The Municipality Of Saint-julien And The Parish Of Saint-jacques-le-majeur-de-wolfestown A First Payment Of $178,434 From The Transfer Of Part Of The Federal Gas Tax Revenues And The Contribution Of The G

May 16, 2008

M. Laurent Lessard ministre de l'Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l'Alimentation, ministre responsable de la région de la Chaudière-Appalaches et député de Frontenac, M. Jacques Laprise, maire de Saint-Julien, M. Steven Laprise, maire de Saint-Jacques-le-Majeur-de-Wolfestown et l'honorable Christian Paradis.

Thetford Mines – The Honourable Christian Paradis, Secretary of State (Agriculture) and Member of Parliament for Mégantic–L’Érable, on behalf of Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, and Laurent Lessard, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and Minister responsible for the Chaudière–Appalaches region and Member for Frontenac, and on behalf of Nathalie Normandeau, Vice-Premier and Minister of Municipal Affairs and the Regions, are pleased to announce today that the Municipality of Saint-Julien and the Parish of Saint-Jacques-le-Majeur-de-Wolfestown will share a sum of $178,434, which combines funds under the federal-provincial agreement to transfer part of the federal gas tax revenues and the contribution of the Government of Québec. This is a first payment to the two municipalities, who will receive a total of $492,567 by the end of 2009 in order to carry out substantial infrastructure works.

The distribution of the government contributions will be as follows:

Municipality First payment Total contribution
Saint-Julien $ 104,057 $ 260,142
Saint-Jacques-le-Majeur-de-Wolfestown $ 74,377 $ 232,425
Total $ 178,434 $ 492,567

Secretary of State Christian Paradis stated that the money offered today to the Municipality of Saint-Julien and the Parish of Saint Jacques-le-Majeur-de-Wolfestown, as part of the gas tax fund, is a concrete example of the Canadian government’s commitment to support a stronger economy, a healthier environment and more prosperous communities in Québec. The Canadian government’s Building Canada plan, which has 33 billion dollars at its disposal, provides for 11.8 billion dollars from the gas tax fund to be paid out across the country from 2007 to 2014. The 2008 budget stipulates that this fund will be maintained at 2 billion per year after 2013–2014 and would become permanent. This will enable municipalities to count on a steady, reliable source of funds as they put in place the infrastructures they need.

Minister Lessard explained that the financial assistance given today demonstrates a willingness to contribute to the welfare of all citizens. Thus, the Municipality of Saint-Julien and the Parish of Saint-Jacques-le-Majeur-de-Wolfestown can now count on predetermined payments to facilitate the planning of infrastructure works. Another sign of the importance that our government places on infrastructures is the recent announcement of the extension of Québec’s 1.15 billion dollar contribution for the period ending March 2015. These investments are part of Québec’s Infrastructure Plan, which will provide 30 billion dollars from 2007 to 2012, of which 3.15 billion dollars will be used to maintain municipal infrastructures and bring them up to standard. Infrastructure repair and modernization is a priority for the Government of Québec.

The 2005 agreement between Québec and Canada was designed to ensure funding for the renewal of municipal and local infrastructures, from a perspective of sustainable development, notably for drinking water, waste water, local road networks and public transport. From 2005 to 2009, the Government of Canada will pay the Government of Québec 1.34 billion dollars, to which will be added Québec’s 475.7 million dollar contribution, making up a 1.8 billion dollar envelope. Including the municipal portion, 2.3 billion dollars will be invested into renewed municipal infrastructures. Payment of the funds will be handled by the Société de financement des infrastructures locales du Québec (SOFIL).

Disponible en français au : www.infrastructure.gc.ca/