Carter Haydu; Moose Jaw Times Herald

Although it came as no surprise, Mayor Dale McBain is still pleased the Friendly City will benefit from the Canadian government nearly doubling gas tax fund payments to Saskatchewan communities, paying nearly $60 million per year in the province, with the first cheques to be delivered this month.

The City of Moose Jaw will receive about $1.02 million more than last year, with a total of just over $2.01 million in funding through the gas tax revenue sharing.
 
Across the entire nation, municipalities will now receive $2 billion per year to invest in projects such as new roads, water treatment plants, sewer systems and bridges.

Although the increase was expected, McBain told the Times-Herald the fact Moose Jaw will receive this money from the feds is still very much appreciated. “We’re always pleased to be able to get infrastructure funding from the federal government,” he said. “They recognize we have needs as a community.”

Brian Acker, city financial services director, said administration has already factored in the increase for this year’s budget, as the government laid out how much gas tax revenue sharing would increase, year to year, when the funding program began in 2005.

The city already decided to invest its share of the funding into wastewater treatment plant upgrades, followed by upgrades to the Buffalo Pound Lake water treatment plant in a couple years. McBain said funding from the federal government reduces the burden on local rate payers for sewer and water infrastructure upgrades.