News & Events

CDAO supports infrastructure investment in Ontario Budget

May 4, 2013

 

Ontario budget allocates $13.5 billion to help fund infrastructure deficit

TORONTO - Ontario’s continued stable investment in the province’s infrastructure renewal plan in yesterday’s provincial budget has been met with praise from members of the Construction Design Alliance of Ontario (CDAO) “Infrastructure is the backbone of economic prosperity,” says CDAO Chair Clive Thurston. “A strong infrastructure provides the means for growth in the manufacturing sector and helps attract a strong labour force to the Ontario market. Investment in infrastructure projects today, provides for the growth of our future.” Every $100 million invested today in infrastructure projects results in a $114 million in spending within the Ontario economy, according to a Conference Board of Canada study.

DOWNLOAD A COPY OF THIS PRESS RELEASE

The budget has allocated $13.5 billion in funding to help address the growing infrastructure deficit across the province. “We are encouraged the government has maintained its level of infrastructure investment year-over-year,” Thurston notes. Funds will be used to for hard capital projects such as roads, bridges, sewer and water mains, water treatment plants and will also fund bricks and mortar projects such as schools and hospitals. This commitment provides support to the Ontario government’s ongoing 10-year plan to invest in the province’s strategic infrastructure. “However we are very concerned with the government’s failure to deliver on over $1 billion of infrastructure in the 2012/13 fiscal year,” says Thurston. The budget papers reported that the province invested $1.016 billion less than committed to a year ago. This “failure to launch” indicates a problem with timely project implementation. “If this continues the province will fail to meet its infrastructure commitments to the people of Ontario. We will ask Minister Murray to immediately address this issue.” The Construction Design Alliance of Ontario is a collaborative organization of 14 associations and organizations, representing a broad cross-section of professions, which design and build infrastructure projects in Ontario. CDAO’s primary goal is to advocate for infrastructure investment and provide municipal and provincial governments a collective forum to seek input and advice from stakeholders. For more information about CDAO activities, initiatives, research and reports, please visit www.CDAO.ca -30- For more information or to arrange interviews, please contact: Patrick McConnell, Communications Consultant MediaShift Communications 647-227-4250 mcconnellpmj@gmail.com

Back to News & Events main page