Although he is not expecting the Redford government to announce funding for the much-needed upgrade of the Highway 2 and 27 intersection overpass in the March 7 budget, Mountain View County Reeve Bruce Beattie says he is hopeful the provincial government will maintain municipal sustainability initiative (MSI) funding.
"I think the MSI payments for infrastructure are well protected and I think there's enough information coming out of the government that they are going to try to maintain those projects,î Beattie told the Gazette.
"They've made a pretty strong commitment to both AAMD&C and AUMA (municipal government organizations) that they will maintain the MSI funding. How else would Edmonton build a new hockey rink if they didn't have their MSI funding?î
MSI funding comes from the province to fund major infrastructure projects.
Mountain View County's recently approved multi-million dollar Acme Road upgrade project, which is being funded with MSI money, should proceed in any event, he said.
"We have those funds and they are committed, so there's no question that we will have those funds to do that project. We should be good on that,î he said.
Red Deer County Mayor Jim Wood also told the Gazette he is hopeful MSI funding will be maintained.
The Redford government will table its 2013-2014 budget on March 7.
In presenting the province's third quarter fiscal update last week, Finance Minister Doug Horner said, "The upcoming provincial budget focuses on making the tough but thoughtful decisions necessary to allow the province to continue to deliver on its priorities.
"Alberta is dealing with rapidly falling resource revenues and it means we're making some tough decisions.î
Both MVC and the Town of Olds have been calling for the upgrade of the Highway 2 and 27 overpass for several years. Reeve Beattie has called the intersection dangerous.
"It's pretty obvious, and they have been telling us all along, that there won't be new spending (in the budget),î said Beattie. "One of our main issues has been the Highway 2 and 27 overpass and we haven't got any news that their (provincial government) opinion has changed on that or that the priority has changed.
"We will continue to lobby on that front, but I'm not overly optimistic that we are going to be very successful, at least in the next year. But we will try to get it moved up on the list of priorities.
"We know that in the discussions we've had with the government that they recognize the safety concerns that we've identified and they realize that it needs to be done, but it's just a matter of fitting it in to their priorities.î
Provincial officials had not announced any funding for the Highway 2 and 27 overpass upgrade at press time Friday.
MVC is also waiting anxiously to see what the Mar. 7 budget holds in regard to school requisitions, he said.
"They've talked about holding the line, freezing wages, and we are assuming that is going to apply to the education sector,î he said. "Last year we had an eight per cent increase and we are hoping that's not going to be the case this year. We've budgeted for a small increase, but not an eight per cent one.
"If they were to increase that significantly we'd have to pass it on (to MVC ratepayers). We don't have any say of what that's going to be. We are hoping that will be kept to a minimum.î
Like Reeve Beattie, Red Deer County Mayor Wood said he is hopeful the MSI funding will not be slashed in the Mar. 7 budget.
"I know from the meeting we had last week at the AAMD&C zone meeting, the government official who was there at that meeting indicated to us that our municipal sustainable funding was safe and would be intact,î said Wood.
"I am hoping that's still the case because that's one of our biggest funding (sources) that we have from the province.î
Wood said he believes some highway construction now planned in the county will have to be pushed back.
"We do recognize that some of the road projects that were anticipated to happen in the county in the short term are not off the table but they will be pushed back until finances are available,î he said.
Examples of projects that he anticipates will be pushed back include paving of Highway 791 and a new access into the Gasoline Alley industrial and commercial district.
Asked if he is concerned about the impact the budget may have on Red Deer County, he said, "There is a reality out there that there are only so many dollars to go around and priorities have to happen. Of course we will push for these projects to happen when they are financially feasible.î
Wildrose official Opposition leader Danielle Smith said last week's fiscal update is "confirmation that the budget Premier Alison Redford put forward to Albertans before the election was nothing more than an overhyped and overinflated election platform.
"This premier promised the moon to Albertans before the election and now she's crashing down to earth. Reality is setting in and Albertans are discovering that there's simply no way for her to keep those promises.î
NDP leader Brian Mason said, "The PCs created this mess by cutting taxes and royalties for corporations and wealthy Albertans, and now they'll break promises to Alberta families to try to clean it up.
"You can't trust this PC government to stand up for strong public health care, education or for vulnerable Albertans.î
