Federal Housing Minister Gregor Robertson appeared in Surrey on Tuesday (Aug. 26) to announce $326 million in federal funding will be provided for B.C. communities to spend on infrastructure improvements.
Robertson linked this spending to efforts by the federal and provincial governments to get more housing built.
"We are building at a pace and scale that has not been seen in generations, and we do this by investing in housing, and the vital infrastructure helps close the housing gap and also strengthens our economy in these increasingly unpredictable times," he said.
The money can be used for projects such as public transit, water systems, roads and bridges. It can also be spent on recreational facilities, including a new sports field at Surrey's Tamanawis Park.
Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke and B.C. Housing and Municipal Affairs Minister Christine Boyle appeared alongside Robertson at the announcement.
Funding will come out of the Canada Community-Building Fund, a $26.7-billion pot of money that is slated to be dished out to communities across the country from 2024 to 2034.
In B.C., the money is administered by the Union of B.C. Municipalities. This particular funding chunk is for the Community Works Fund, which is distributed to local governments based on population and growth.
