National Corridor grants are still being waived by the Alberta government

Funding to improve the flow of goods and people across Canada has shown it doesn't like nine proposals put forward by the Alberta government.

The National Trade Corridor Fund has yet to invest in the province's list of highway projects in southern, central and northern Alberta. Unless it is renewed or supplemented in Tuesday's federal budget, the framework will expire in less than four years. Eight bid calls were closed.

The province's proposals will help pay for upgrades affecting Edmonton, Devon, Calgary, Balzac, Grande Prairie, Fort McMurray, Medicine Hat, Lethbridge, Crowsnest Pass, Piikani First Nation, Pincher Creek, Fort McLeod, Taber and dozens of other communities.

Over the years, Alberta's two most populous municipalities and other applicants from across the country have received good news from the fund. But for Alberta Transportation and Economic Corridors Minister Devin Drieschen and his government, that wasn't the case.

“We're now zero to nine,” said Drieschen, a member of Innisfail-Sylvan Lake.

The federal government's commitment to roads and highways was a hot topic at the February 23 meeting of Ministers responsible for Transport and Road Safety.

Two weeks before the council meeting in Montreal, Federal Environment Minister Stephen Guilbeau said the government would no longer invest in new road infrastructure. He said what was available was “very adequate” to meet the needs.

Guilbeau later retracted the statement, saying these were major projects that Ottawa would not invest in.

Environment and Climate Change Minister Stephen Guilbeau leaves the chamber on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Wednesday, March 20, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

That did not reassure the assembled provincial and territorial ministers, who sought clarification from Canada's Transport Minister, Pablo Rodriquez. Guilbeau's statements “stoked a firestorm of questions and expectations,” Drieschen said.

“These meetings are off to a very interesting start.”

It's unrealistic and unfair for the federal government to give up highways to fight climate change, he said. Ottawa has a constitutional obligation to fund First Nations roads, and the National Trade Corridors Fund reflects that commitment that ministers hope will continue.

In response to questions from the Local Journalism Initiative, Rodriguez's office would not provide details about next Tuesday's budget or respond to questions about the Alberta government's reasons for not succeeding.

At the ministerial meeting, Rodriquez “recognized the need for more infrastructure and discussed the importance of the National Trade Corridors Fund, which helps finance projects across Canada that include airports, ports, railways, transportation and access roads,” said Laura Scaffidi. , his office's communications director said in an email response.

“Our government is working with all provinces and territories to build sustainable infrastructure and supply chains across the country so Canadians can get the goods they need, when they need them, at affordable prices,” Scaffidi said.

The current program is $4.6 billion over 11 years. So far, $3.7 billion in commitments have been made for 130 marine, air, rail and road projects across the country, according to the latest information on the federal website.

Successes include requests from the governments of BC, Saskatchewan, Nunavut, Northwest Territories, Yukon, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador.

The Alberta government's nine applications request up to $685 million. But the province hasn't heard anything since 2022, a ministry spokeswoman told the Local Journalism Initiative.

Two Highway 3 projects in southern Alberta are on the zero-to-nine list. Those not approved for national funding were added from Sentinel east of Highway 507, including the Coleman Bypass, and west of Seven People to Highway 523 in Medicine Hat.

Up until now, the QE II upgrade at Balzac Junction, north of Calgary, has been overlooked. Around Edmonton, there are upgrades to Anthony Henday Drive in the northwest and northeast. Two parts of the bypass system near Edmonton International Airport are missing – Highway 60 serving the Acheson Industrial Park in Parkland County and the median of Highway 19 between Devon and QE-II.

Not yet federally approved for the Grande Prairie area is the 40X Southwest Bypass and the 40 Freeway from Canfor Road to Township Road 700. A new stretch of highway is on the hit list in the province's northeast. 686 Peerless Lake to Fort McMurray.

The fund is designed to increase the flow of goods, people and trade; Helping Canada's transportation system withstand the impacts of climate change and adapt to new technologies and innovations; and addressing transportation needs in northern communities.

Among the approved projects are $39.8 million to the City of Edmonton for a street widening and railroad crossing project, $50 million to the City of Calgary for road infrastructure near the airport, and $50 million to the Montreal Airport Authority for warehouse, roadway improvements and deck work. , and $67.6 million to the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority for highways and rail.

The Northwest Territories government received $37.5 million for the bridge, the Gander International Airport Authority received $4.6 million for live seafood conservation, and the New Brunswick government received $22.1 million to replace the bridge to support two-lane heavy traffic. took

Scaffidi noted that the foundation has allocated dollars to 12 projects in Alberta. He also shared information on the past two federal budgets where additions to the national fund were announced.

Budget 2021 adds $1.9 billion over four years and Budget 2022 adds $450 million over five years and funding to advance an industry initiative to digitize Canada's supply chain.