Upcoming Federal Budget

Spring is here and so are a variety of budgets. We are still fine tuning ours and this coming week the federal government is delivering theirs. From a municipal perspective here are some things I would like to see; it seems more like a 'Dear Santa letter.'

• infrastructure money: the Gas Tax Fund and Build Canada Fund are not enough. Our infrastructure needs alone take up what the federal government has set aside for Saskatchewan.
• Consider that municipalities spend about $15 billion per year on infrastructure and the federal and provincial governments allocate much less.
• many arts, culture, recreation and sports facilities are nearing the end of their life cycle; money needs to be available for facilities like these as well.
• infrastructure investment by senior levels of government is down significantly, from 3% of GDP to less than 1% of GDP since the 70s when much of our infrastructure was constructed
• recognition that municipalities are a third level of government and not just 'legal creations.'
• funding for affordable and attainable housing
• includes assistance with home ownership and development of rental units, 
• environmental assistance to address 'brown fields' like the parking lot that used to be a gas station
• recognition that revenue for both the federal government and municipalities is the result of all levels of government working to increase the wealth of Canada
• recognition that all levels of government need better communication and collaboration
• funding support for federal responsibilities that have been downloaded
• an example is the building code: the federal government determines the code but it is municipalities that enforce it at our expense