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GreencriteriastrippedfromfederalGasTaxFundInfrastructureFederalTax6TuesdayJune102014SMITHSLANDINGFIRSTNATIONChiefandCouncilmembershipOneoftheMostBusiestPostsintheNorth.THEBOOKwascommissionedbyTHESTORYByMEAGANWOHLBERGCriteriarequiringmu-nicipalitiestobuildenvi-ronmentalsustainabilityintotheirinfrastructureprojectsfundedthroughthe2-billionGasTaxFundhavebeenremovedbythefederalgovernmentdocu-mentsshow.InfrastructureCanadaquietlyshiftedprojectspre-viouslycoveredundertheBuildingCanadaFundintothepurviewoftheGasTaxFundwiththelatestfederalbudgeteffectivelystrippingallreferencetosustainabil-ityfromitsGasTaxrenewalagreementswithprovincesthisyearwhileleavingthemoneysintact.NorthwestTerritoriesMPDennisBevingtonsaidthechangeisaseriouscauseforconcernduetothelossofgreenprojectsinCanadathataresoimportanttothefutureofeverymunicipal-ity.Ifyoudontdealwiththegreenissuesyouvegottodealwiththemlateron.Andifyoudealwiththemproperlyitcutsyourcostsandsetsyouupforthefu-turehesaid.Ihatethisconservativethingwherewejustwanttospendthemoneywedontwanttoprovideanydirec-tionespeciallynotforgreenprojects.Theyjusthategreenprojectsitseemslike.Thisisthelastoftheinfrastruc-turethathadthisgreensortofdedicationtoitwhichJackLaytonputinwhenhewaspresidentoftheFCMFederationofCanadianMunicipalities.TheGasTaxFundwasoriginallydesignedtonanceprojectslikepublictransitwastewaterinfrastructuredrinkingwatersolidwastemanagementcommunityen-ergysystemslocalroadsandbridgesandcapacitybuilding.Municipalitieswerere-quiredtocreatesustainabledevelopmentplansusingbestpracticesalongwiththeirfundingapplicationstobeapproved.Whilethosecategoriesarestilleligibleforfundingcommunitieswillnowalsohavetogothroughthefundforprojectslikehighwaysairportsraillinesbroad-bandinfrastructureaswellasthoseinvolvingtourismculturesportandrecreation.InfrastructureCanadaspokespersonRobinStrongsaidthechangewasmadetogivemunicipalitiesmoreexibilitytoinvestinlocalinfrastructureprioritiesandnotedthatthoseeligiblestillincludeenviron-mentallyfocusedcategoriespreviouslyfeatured.Whilethefundinghasbeenincreasedfrom1billionto2billionannuallyfortheGasTaxFundBevingtonsaidthechangewillhavealargeimpactonthesustain-abilityofCanadasinfrastruc-tureandabilitytoeffectivelyaddressclimatechange.Theydiditsosilentlybutitwillhaveabigimpact.Its21billionover10years-thatwasaconsiderableamountofmoneythatwasgoingtogotogreenprojectsBev-ingtonsaid.Municipalitieswereleadersinthinkingaboutchanginghowtheyredoingbusinesssothatitsmoregreenmoresustain-ablewhetheritwassewerandwaterwhetheritwasrenewableenergywhetheritwasenergyefciencyorpublictransit-thewholeworkshesaid.Thatswheretherubberhitstheroadonreducingyourgreenhousegasemis-sionsmunicipalitiesarehugeplayersinittheyalwayshavebeen.Whatweredoingisputtinguproadblocksortak-ingawayopportunitiesforthemtodotherightthing.Bevingtonsaidthesustain-abilityaspectofthefundhadanevenmoreimportantroletoplayincreatingcostanden-ergyefcienciesintheNorth.Wearedesperateforsus-tainability.Ourcostsaresohighhesaid.Wereusingimportedfuelsinmostofourcommunitiesforheatingandinsomecasesforelectric-ity.Thesecostshavegonethroughtheroof...Wehaveanopportunitytogogreenandsavealotofmoney.Weneedtoimproveoursystemsuphere...Soitmeansmoretous.Wehavearesponsibility.TheGasTaxtransferagreementswiththeprov-incesandterritoriesaresettoexpireby2016.SolarpanelswereinstalledontheroofofthePaulatukyouthcentrethroughthefederalGasTaxFund.PhotoJimbobMaloneTheythefederalgovernmentdiditsosilentlybutitwillhaveabigimpact.Its21billionover10years-thatwasaconsiderableamountofmoneythatwasgoingtogotogreenprojects.DennisBevingtonMPNorthwestTerritories