NDP calls for increased federal infrastructure funding

Aging infrastructure puts road safety and drinking water at risk

Today’s release of the first Canadian Infrastructure Report Card by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) shows that overburdened cities need the federal government to commit to adequate infrastructure funding to tackle deteriorating municipal roads and water systems.

"Bridges dropping concrete and highway sinkholes swallowing cars are not freak accidents but symptomatic of the crumbling infrastructure across Canada,” said NDP Transport and Infrastructure Critic Olivia Chow. “The Harper Conservatives have neglected Canada’s roads, water and transit systems and Canadians are paying the price.”

With 21% of Canadian roads are in poor condition, the FCM report shows that communities need an immediate down payment on the billions of dollars in federal funding needed to fix their crumbling roads, water and sewer systems.

In addition to unsafe roads, aging piping and treatment plants put tap water quality at risk in many towns and cities. More than 200 communities across the country suffer from water quality problems; more than 100 of them have boil water advisories in place.

“The situation is simply unacceptable. The Conservatives must come forward with a commitment to adequate, predictable, long-term funding for Canadian municipalities," said Chow. "Tackling our aging infrastructure will not only address safety and health issues but will yield economic benefits through job creation and long-term economic competitiveness as well.”