David Wilks, Member of Parliament for Kootenay – Columbia was joined today by Greg Kyllo, British Columbia Member of the Legislative Assembly for Shuswap, to jointly announce funding for the upgrade and expansion of Highway 1 near Revelstoke that will increase safety for all drivers and improve the efficiency of this important regional and trans-provincial route.

The main components of the $35 million project include the widening of 2.5 kilometres of Highway 1, 40 km east of Revelstoke from two lanes to four lanes, expanding the Illecillewaet brake check station to more than double its capacity, and improving safety through the addition of new acceleration and deceleration lanes at the brake check. These improvements will provide increased passing opportunities to improve safety and mobility along the Trans Canada Highway. It will also provide a safe area to store vehicles as part of a strategy to improve how traffic is managed during winter closures for avalanche control operations.

The New Building Canada Plan is the largest and longest federal infrastructure plan in Canada’s history. This unprecedented commitment is providing $53 billion to support provincial, territorial and municipal infrastructure between 2014 and 2024.

Over this ten year period, British Columbia will benefit from approximately $3.9 billion in dedicated federal funding, including almost $1.1 billion under the New Building Canada Fund.

This project reflects a commitment to improve highway safety as part of the province’s 10-year transportation strategy – B.C. on the Move. This plan will improve the province’s transportation network providing a comprehensive road map for transportation investments and strategic policy actions over the next decade.

Quick Facts:

• The Government of Canada has selected this project for funding consideration of up to one half of eligible costs, to a maximum of $15.5 million under the New Building Canada Fund’s Provincial-Territorial Infrastructure Component-National and Regional Projects. This funding is conditional on the project meeting applicable federal eligibility requirements with respect to the New Building Canada Fund and the signing of a contribution agreement.
• The Government of British Columbia will be contributing the remaining $19.5 million to the project. The total estimated cost of the project is $35 million.
• As part of B.C. on the Move, almost $2.5 billion will be invest to grow the economy, improve safety, maintain and replace aging infrastructure and support trade for B.C.’s expanding resource sectors over the next three years alone.
• Included in this, the Government of B.C. will invest more than $800 million in highway and bridge rehabilitation and safety improvement.
• The B.C. government has budgeted almost $1 billion over the next three years to ensure our network has the capacity to meet the transport and trade needs of the province – a key to growth and prosperity.
• The $53 billion New Building Canada Plan provides stable funding for a 10-year period, and includes:
  • The Community Improvement Fund, consisting of the Gas Tax Fund and the incremental Goods and Services Tax Rebate for Municipalities, which will provide over $32 billion to municipalities for projects such as roads, public transit and recreational facilities, and other community infrastructure.
  • The $14-billion New Building Canada Fund, which consists of:
    • The $4-billion National Infrastructure Component that will support projects of national significance; and
    • The $10-billion Provincial-Territorial Infrastructure Component for projects of national, regional and local significance. Of this amount, $1 billion for projects in communities with fewer than 100,000 residents through the Small Communities Fund.
  • An additional $1.25 billion in funding for the Public-Private Partnerships (P3) Canada Fund administered by PPP Canada.

Quotes:

David Wilks, Member of Parliament for Kootenay – Columbia, on behalf of the Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of Infrastructure, Communities and Intergovernmental Affairs, and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec –

“Our Government’s support for public infrastructure has never been stronger. We are pleased to work with the Province of British Columbia to approve projects under the New Building Canada Fund, to ensure that infrastructure funding continues to flow in British Columbia as we focus on creating jobs, promoting growth, and building strong, prosperous communities across Canada. We are proud to invest in this transportation project. It will increase commuter safety and improve the flow of traffic to and from Revelstoke along Highway 1.”

Greg Kyllo, British Columbia Member of the Legislative Assembly for Shuswap –

“We are pleased to be working with our federal partners to deliver on the commitment to increase the number of four lane sections on Highway 1 as well as making safety improvements to a local brake check area. These improvements will ensure truck traffic flows as efficiently as possible along this route, and increased capacity of Highway 1 will ensure the continued movement of goods and people along this important corridor.”

Associated Links

Learn more about the New Building Canada Fund – Provincial-Territorial Infrastructure Component – National and Regional Projects: http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/nrp-pnr-prog-eng.html

Learn more about the New Building Canada Plan: http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/plan-eng.html

Learn more about the Government of Canada's focus on jobs and the economy consult Canada’s Economic Action Plan: http://www.budget.gc.ca/2015/home-accueil-eng.html

Learn more about B.C. on the Move: http://engage.gov.bc.ca/transportationplan/