The Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Todd Stone and Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development Peter Fassbender have issued the following statement on Canada’s $81-billion infrastructure funding announcement:

"British Columbia is pleased to see Canada commit today to investing $81 billion in new infrastructure funding over the next 12 years, including new money for public transit, green infrastructure and infrastructure that will help move goods and services and promote jobs, economic growth and trade.

"We are also encouraged with the opportunities available to British Columbia through the new $35-billion Canada Infrastructure Bank.

"British Columbia is Canada’s Pacific Gateway, and the entire country benefits when we invest in infrastructure that helps move goods and services from our coast to the rest of the country and back. These new dollars will go into projects that will grow our economy, address local and provincial infrastructure needs and provide good and long-term jobs for British Columbian families.

"Over the last year, we have worked closely with our federal partners to foster a strong relationship with shared economic, transit, community and job- creation goals, and we are starting to see real benefits for the people of British Columbia.

"This past summer, British Columbia became the first jurisdiction in the country to sign an agreement under the federal government's Public Transit Infrastructure Fund – with more than $900 million committed to new transit services in communities throughout the province, including a new SeaBus, SkyTrain cars and new buses. This fall, we announced a $450-million joint agreement to invest in water and wastewater upgrades in communities throughout the province. And just last month, we announced a $162.7-million funding partnership with the Government of Canada to widen Highway 1 west of Salmon Arm – the biggest single funding announcement made on the Trans-Canada Highway in the last 10 years.

"Our province will continue to build on our valued partnership with the federal government as we work together to move British Columbia’s shared infrastructure priorities forward."