Transport Minister David Collenette, together with Solicitor General of Canada and MP (Cardigan) Lawrence MacAulay, Prince Edward Island Premier Pat Binns, and Prince Edward Island Minister of Transportation and Public Works Gail Shea today announced an agreement to provide joint funding of $11.6 million until March 2006 for highway improvement projects in Prince Edward Island.
This agreement is part of the $600 million Strategic Highway Infrastructure Program (SHIP) announced by Mr. Collenette in April 2001.
"This federal contribution of $5.8 million from the Strategic Highway Infrastructure Program will help to enhance safety and improve the overall condition of the province's highways," said Mr. Collenette. "Continuing the partnership between the Government of Canada and the Province of Prince Edward Island is a very important element in making real improvements to our highway infrastructure."
"Investments like the one made today reaffirm our government's commitment to ensuring safe, quality roads for the continued economic and community development of Prince Edward Island," said Mr. Binns.
"Federal and provincial investment in PEI's highways will make our roads safer and stimulate the economy," said Mr. MacAulay. "The people of Prince Edward Island, as well as local businesses and visitors, will benefit from these highway improvements."
In addition to the agreement, three construction projects with a total joint cost of $3.46 million were announced.
In Charlottetown at the Park Street/Trans-Canada Highway intersection, an urban collector road will be realigned at a joint cost of $721,000. In Cornwall on the Trans-Canada Highway, a new intersection will be constructed at the St. John Street/Kellow Drive intersection at a joint cost of $546,000. This will support a recently opened community multi-use recreational facility. Finally, on the Trans-Canada Highway near Wood Islands, the Pinette Bridge will be replaced with a longer bridge structure, at a joint cost of $2.2 million.
"The road to renewing Island roads is a long but important one for the safe, future growth of our economy and communities," said Ms Shea. "I'm very pleased that we can join with the federal government today in making this first step together."
Transport Canada and the Province of Prince Edward Island are reviewing other proposed projects for the remaining $8.14 million of joint funding under SHIP. The department will examine the benefits of these projects and how they support the program objectives and, in partnership with the province, determine which projects best meet these objectives. Funding for SHIP projects is conditional on the results of required environmental assessments.
Funding for this project was provided for in the December 2001 federal budget and is therefore built into the existing financial framework.