The federal infrastructure minister is promising the second phase of the Liberal government’s $60-billion program won’t leave
out smaller communities who felt neglected during the first round of spending.
And the mayor of a small town in South Western Nova Scotia hopes he means it.
Smaller communities complained to Infrastructure Minister Amarjeet Sohi earlier this year after missing out on transit funding
because of tough funding criteria.
Mayor Leigh Stoddart says he hopes the federal government realizes that rural communities have limited resources for matching
funds for projects.
“A new public works building would be good. We would consider that infrastructure. Sometimes there’s restrictions on these grants though.”
Sohi says the government will make Round 2 of transit and water treatment funding flexible enough to help small communities
qualify for billions in new spending.
