Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced in London on Monday a $5.8 Billion investment on infrastructure across Canada
This investment will include a $2.8 billion investment to improve national historic sites, parks and marine conservation areas across Canada as well as $500 million going towards repairing and construction of on-reserve schools.
London will be getting an improvement because as part of the announcement, the Prime Minster added that there will be an expansion of the National Research Council in London as well as Montreal and they are building a new location in Winnipeg
Harper said “These projects will generate tens of thousands of jobs, they already have generated tens of thousands of new jobs today and the new Canada building plan will generate even more as we move forward”
Harper explained that since the government is on track to balance the federal budget for next year, there is flexibility to make these infrastructure investments ahead of schedule.
During the announcement, the Prime Minister took some heat for the $200 million to aid veterans with mental health issues. Harper explained that it is a good spending of the money.
“Canada has, by all measure the best veterans program and services in the world. But we are constantly looking at how to improve those, how to fill gaps.” Harper adds ” We have a new generation of veterans with different experiences then those that were in WW2 and Korea, so we will continue to work with veterans and veteran groups to expand those services”
The investment is set to be given out over the next 3 years
What $5.8 Billion dollars will be used for
- $2.8B to support improvements for historic sites, national parks and national marine conservation areas across Canada
- $500M for repair and construction of on-reserve schools
- $452M to repair and upgrade Canadian Armed Forces facilities
- $440M to expedite the replacement of border infrastructure
- $400M to maintain, upgrade and construct federally-owned buildings
- $380M for major repairs and upgrading of federal laboratories and research facilities
- $288M for repair and maintenance of small craft harbours
- $204M to support enhancements to federally owned airports and VIA Rail Canada
- $191M to undertake renewal and repairs of heritage and museum sites
- $183M for repair and procurement of vessels and small craft for Canadian Coast Guard and fishe
