Building for Prosperity: Public Infrastructure in Prince Edward Island

Success Through Partnership

Working Together to Accomplish More

Since 2007, federal, provincial and municipal governments have made significant investments in public infrastructure in the Province of Prince Edward island. More recently, Canada's Economic Action Plan accelerated existing programs and delivered new funding to create jobs and support economic growth.

With a focus on transportation and green infrastructure, commitments under the Building Canada Fund, the Green Infrastructure Fund and the Infrastructure Stimulus Fund now total over $138 million* and have resulted in more than 75 projects across Prince Edward Island, helping create the right conditions for economic growth and long-term prosperity.

Joint Funding

• transportation:
  25 projects worth more than $50 million
• green infrastructure:
  23 projects worth more than $32 million
• sports and recreation:
  9 projects worth more than $20 million
• drinking water:
  11 projects worth more than $9 million
• culture and tourism:
  7 projects worth more than $22 million

Partnership in Action

Working together to build infrastructure achieves local and regional priorities while supporting national objectives. The Infrastructure Stimulus Fund, the cornerstone of Canada's Economic Action Plan, has demonstrated what strong partnerships can accomplish. During the global economic downturn all orders of government responded quickly and effectively to identify shovel-ready projects, drive employment and boost the economy, through 20 infrastructure projects in Prince Edward Island worth more than $33 million. These projects provided lasting benefits to communities across Prince Edward Island.

Canada's Gas Tax Fund at Work in Prince Edward Island

Local Projects Long-term Results

Between 2005 and 2014 the Province of Prince Edward Island will receive a total of $97.5 million from the Gas Tax Fund. Since 2005, the Province has invested heavily in three key areas:

• local roads and bridges;
• wastewater and drinking water; and,
• community energy projects.

Each year, Canada's Gas Tax Fund is delivered to municipalities across the country to support local infrastructure initiatives and encourage economic growth. Increased to $2 billion per year nationally in 2009 and made permanent in 2011, the Gas Tax Fund supports municipal infrastructure projects that create jobs and help to protect the environment - contributing to cleaner air, cleaner water and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.

Gas Tax Expenditures by Category
2005-06 to 2010-11

Gas Tax Fund projects have improved the standard of living of Island residents and have had a tremendous impact on both the health of communities and the Province's carbon footprint. A total of 200 projects have been approved under the program and many of these are already complete.

Did you know…

• Projects approved under the Gas Tax Fund have helped save more than 58,000 tonnes of CO₂ and 13,000 litres of heating oil on the Island.
• These projects have connected more than 450 Islanders to municipal water services and have seen more than 23 kilometres of new sewer line installed or replaced.
• More than 40 kilometres of roadway have been rebuilt under the program to improve the safety and efficiency of local roads.

Island Wind Energy: Securing our Future

Residents of Summerside are now benefitting from greater use of clean renewable energy

In August 2011, the Summerside wind farm was officially opened. The new wind farm produces enough energy to provide one-quarter of the city's electricity needs. Located in the neighbourhood of St. Eleanor's, the four-turbine, 12-megawatt wind farm reduces the city's carbon footprint while simultaneously lowering greenhouse gas emissions, and reducing the city's dependence on fossil fuels for electricity. The wind farm was made possible through a joint investment of $30 million by the Government of Canada, the Province of Prince Edward Island and the City of Summerside.

Quick Facts

• The Summerside wind farm is replacing fossil fuel generated energy with renewable resource energy.
• The amount of electricity purchased from out-of-Province will decrease significantly now that the turbines are operational.
• Presently, the City of Summerside consumes 121 Gigawatt Hours (GWH) per year, and the farm is expected to displace 30.6 GWH of electricity annually. That means the wind farm will supply the City with over 25 percent of its energy needs.

Funding for Local Priorities: Building Canada Fund – Communities Component

The Communities Component of the Building Canada Fund recognizes the unique infrastructure needs of smaller communities (populations fewer than 100,000), focusing on projects that meet economic, environmental and quality-of-life objectives. Under the Communities Component and Top-up, more than 50 community projects worth more than $70 million are being funded across the province. These projects are improving wastewater treatment capacity, drinking water infrastructure, local roads and bridges, sports and recreation facilities, and cultural spaces.

Safe and Efficient Highways

A top priority for Prince Edward Island

Safe and efficient highways are vital to the economy of Prince Edward Island. The agriculture and fishery sectors rely on quality highways to export their products to market. Tourists need safe and efficient roads so they can make it to their destination safely. Business operators benefit from quality roads to safely and efficiently import and/or export a huge variety of products to the marketplace. And since the Island is predominantly rural, tens of thousands of Islanders who cannot access public transit depend on safe and efficient roads to get them where they need to be. That is why the province places a premium on a safe and efficient road network. It is essential for the Island's economy.

Looking to the future, the Province of Prince Edward Island is committed to investing in the infrastructure that matters most to Islanders

Roads and Highways

When it comes to infrastructure investment, the main focus of the Province of Prince Edward Island is the safety and efficiency of the National Highway System and the local road and bridge network. The Province's road and bridge network is essential for trade, in both import and export contexts, given the absence of rail service. Since 2007 the Province has invested close to $240 million to improve the quality of its roads and bridges. Various cost-shared programs helped contribute to that investment.

Water

Another key area for investment is sewer and water infrastructure. One hundred per cent of the Island's drinking water comes from the ground. That means special measures must be taken, and key investments made, to help ensure residents continue to have quality drinking water for years to come. On top of that, effluent treatment and control are also important to ensure the health of various saltwater fisheries in coastal areas of the province. Such fisheries can be greatly harmed without proper wastewater management, so it's critical that sewage is treated properly.

Links to the Mainland

Prince Edward Island also depends on its links to the mainland. The Confederation Bridge provides the most heavilytraveled link, but that does not reduce the importance of air travel and especially the role of Northumberland Ferries and the connection to Nova Scotia. These vital links must be maintained for the health of the economy.

Other Priorities

Looking to the future and the challenges that lay ahead, the Province is also focusing on other priorities, including disaster mitigation, green energy, public transit, health and education.

Moving Forward Together

Continuing Partnerships

Achieving our goals as a nation means that all orders of government and other partners must work together. We all know that public infrastructure plays a key role in our lives and in our economic well-being. Canada's long-term prosperity relies on the strength of our communities and the basic services that support them.

Through Canada's Economic Action Plan, and infrastructure initiatives such as the Building Canada Fund, the Gas Tax Fund, and the Infrastructure Stimulus Fund, great things have been built in Yukon. People across the territory have safer roads, cleaner water and improved sport, recreation and cultural infrastructure. The tangible benefits of our infrastructure investments increase every day as more and more projects are completed.

The Government of Canada is committed to continuing a partnership approach to national, regional and local infrastructure priorities. Strong partnerships mean that every dollar invested in public infrastructure will meet today's needs and sustain future economic growth and development.

A New Long-Term Plan

On November 30, 2011, the Government of Canada launched a process to engage partners from across the country on the development of a new long-term public infrastructure plan. Building a new long-term infrastructure plan means working with provinces, territories, municipalities, key stakeholders, as well as with technical experts, to build knowledge around five broad themes:

• infrastructure and the economy;
• infrastructure and the environment;
• infrastructure and stronger communities;
• financing infrastructure; and
• asset planning and sustainability.

In the lead up to the new long-term infrastructure plan, we will undertake a constructive dialogue that focuses on the broad principles, priorities and future directions for public infrastructure in Canada. Working together will ensure that Canada has a strong public infrastructure foundation for sustained growth and economic prosperity - now and for years to come.