khris
Senior Member
City scrambles to qualify for infrastructure funding
By: Radhika Panjwani
File photos
The City is struggling to meet the federal government's infrastructure funding requirements for the May 1 deadline. Mayor Hazel McCallion and City officials say the rigid criteria laid down by Ottawa is creating a "road block". Meanwhile, Mississauga-Erindale Conservative MP Bob Dechert says the simple form's purpose is to employ people immediately rather than projects that will start two or three years from now.
April 23, 2009 09:20 PM - City of Mississauga officials are scrambling to find suitable projects that meet what they contend are rigid criteria laid down by Ottawa to qualify for infrastructure funding.
City officials say there are too many strings attached to the federal government's $4-billion Infrastructure Stimulus Fund, of which $1.2 billion was given to Queen's Park for distribution among Ontario municipalities.
As a result, many deserving projects, such as the Bus Rapid Transit and renovation of Port Credit Arena, among others, will not qualify for what the City describes as "use-it-or-lose-it" funding.
It's not yet clear how much money will flow into City coffers, but officials estimate at least $45 million could find its way here for projects that do qualify.
At yesterday's meeting of Council, Robert Rossini, the City's director of finance, outlined numerous conditions and constraints placed on the infrastructure funding, including a May 1 deadline to identify shovel-ready projects.
Through the ISF, federal and provincial governments match municipal contributions towards infrastructure projects.
Officials are now rushing to make next Friday's deadline.
“I cannot think of any other roadblocks they can put in our way,†Mayor Hazel McCallion said. “I am sitting here thinking, 'what else could they say that prevents us from moving ahead.' It's appalling. I don't think they want to give us any money. What a joke.â€
Rossini said other conditions include:
• projects that qualify will have to be completed by March 31, 2011 or the money has to be returned
• funds allocated cannot be used for any project that has already been identified in the City's 2009-10 capital budget
• the money cannot be used to buy land or buildings
• construction on approved projects must start within 60 days of receiving funding
City officials say those guidelines have put staff in a difficult position because new transit projects, such as the Light Rail Transit initiative, require detailed design, studies, planning and approvals before the shovel can hit the ground.
Furthermore, the project might take more than two years to complete.
“The Infrastructure Stimulus Fund is a use-it-or-lose-it approach,†said Rossini. “The risk is, if you can't complete a project on time, you lose the grant, or even worse (are) asked to repay whatever the grant payments that were made already and that could leave us holding the bag of 100 per cent of the project.â€
Rossini said red tape is also a problem. The City had planned to submit a proposal for street-lighting projects at 115 locations across Mississauga. But Rossini said he was told Mississauga would have to submit 115 individual applications, as projects cannot be bundled together.
However, Mississauga-Erindale Conservative MP Bob Dechert said the one-page application form is simple and he can't understand why the City thinks otherwise.
“It's one of the simplest forms in the history of government,†he said, then turning his thoughts to the bigger picture. “The purpose of the fund is to employ people immediately, not projects that will start two or three years from now, because people need the jobs now.â€
Dechert added that McCallion recently submitted to him a list of projects including the City Centre revitalization, renovations to Burnhamthorpe Library, park lighting and a bridge over Sawmill Valley, among others.
“So these are some of the projects they've told us about; they just need to put them on the application form and send it in,†he said. “It is simple, simple...â€
City Council will meet next week to finalize its list of projects to be submitted for funding.
rpanjwani@mississauga.net
Source
By: Radhika Panjwani
File photos
The City is struggling to meet the federal government's infrastructure funding requirements for the May 1 deadline. Mayor Hazel McCallion and City officials say the rigid criteria laid down by Ottawa is creating a "road block". Meanwhile, Mississauga-Erindale Conservative MP Bob Dechert says the simple form's purpose is to employ people immediately rather than projects that will start two or three years from now.
April 23, 2009 09:20 PM - City of Mississauga officials are scrambling to find suitable projects that meet what they contend are rigid criteria laid down by Ottawa to qualify for infrastructure funding.
City officials say there are too many strings attached to the federal government's $4-billion Infrastructure Stimulus Fund, of which $1.2 billion was given to Queen's Park for distribution among Ontario municipalities.
As a result, many deserving projects, such as the Bus Rapid Transit and renovation of Port Credit Arena, among others, will not qualify for what the City describes as "use-it-or-lose-it" funding.
It's not yet clear how much money will flow into City coffers, but officials estimate at least $45 million could find its way here for projects that do qualify.
At yesterday's meeting of Council, Robert Rossini, the City's director of finance, outlined numerous conditions and constraints placed on the infrastructure funding, including a May 1 deadline to identify shovel-ready projects.
Through the ISF, federal and provincial governments match municipal contributions towards infrastructure projects.
Officials are now rushing to make next Friday's deadline.
“I cannot think of any other roadblocks they can put in our way,†Mayor Hazel McCallion said. “I am sitting here thinking, 'what else could they say that prevents us from moving ahead.' It's appalling. I don't think they want to give us any money. What a joke.â€
Rossini said other conditions include:
• projects that qualify will have to be completed by March 31, 2011 or the money has to be returned
• funds allocated cannot be used for any project that has already been identified in the City's 2009-10 capital budget
• the money cannot be used to buy land or buildings
• construction on approved projects must start within 60 days of receiving funding
City officials say those guidelines have put staff in a difficult position because new transit projects, such as the Light Rail Transit initiative, require detailed design, studies, planning and approvals before the shovel can hit the ground.
Furthermore, the project might take more than two years to complete.
“The Infrastructure Stimulus Fund is a use-it-or-lose-it approach,†said Rossini. “The risk is, if you can't complete a project on time, you lose the grant, or even worse (are) asked to repay whatever the grant payments that were made already and that could leave us holding the bag of 100 per cent of the project.â€
Rossini said red tape is also a problem. The City had planned to submit a proposal for street-lighting projects at 115 locations across Mississauga. But Rossini said he was told Mississauga would have to submit 115 individual applications, as projects cannot be bundled together.
However, Mississauga-Erindale Conservative MP Bob Dechert said the one-page application form is simple and he can't understand why the City thinks otherwise.
“It's one of the simplest forms in the history of government,†he said, then turning his thoughts to the bigger picture. “The purpose of the fund is to employ people immediately, not projects that will start two or three years from now, because people need the jobs now.â€
Dechert added that McCallion recently submitted to him a list of projects including the City Centre revitalization, renovations to Burnhamthorpe Library, park lighting and a bridge over Sawmill Valley, among others.
“So these are some of the projects they've told us about; they just need to put them on the application form and send it in,†he said. “It is simple, simple...â€
City Council will meet next week to finalize its list of projects to be submitted for funding.
rpanjwani@mississauga.net
Source