The organization representing Saskatchewan’s urban municipalities is calling on all political parties to commit to a federal infrastructure program.
In a news release issued April 9, the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association (SUMA) said funding from senior levels of government is needed to allow municipalities to accommodate growth and replace aging infrastructure.
Municipalities have the greatest responsibility for public infrastructure in Canada, developing and operating 60 percent of it, despite having the least fiscal capacity of any order of government, noted the SUMA release.
Infrastructure investments by other orders of government, including cost-shared infrastructure grant programs and federal/provincial broadband development, are essential to the ongoing viability of communities in Saskatchewan, particularly given our diffuse population.
The Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program, which divided costs between federal, provincial, and municipal governments, has been fully allocated, but there is currently no program in place to continue the essential work of infrastructure development and support the federal and provincial interests in having modern and reliable municipal infrastructure in place.
“Municipalities play a central role in the day-to-day lives of Canadians,” said SUMA President Randy Goulden. “We provide the essential infrastructure and services that they depend on: from the water in their homes and treating the wastewater that comes out of them, to the roads, parks, pools, and rinks. But we can’t do it alone. We need the next federal government to commit to a long-term infrastructure program, focused on community needs.”
Broadband also plays an important role in the ongoing viability of smaller urban municipalities, allowing more residents to remain in their communities and conduct business via the internet.
“High speed internet is no longer a ‘nice-to-have,’ it is an absolute essential,” stated President Goulden. “We need the next federal government to move beyond funding broadband based on percentage of population, as this disadvantages provinces such as Saskatchewan, where our population is much more spread out. We need greater investment in our local internet service providers so that they can, in turn, continue their vital investment into our local broadband infrastructure.”
This federal election, make municipalities matter. Visit suma.org for more information and to see the SUMA election hub.