Municipal officials asking Ottawa for stable cash to fix crumbling cities
VANCOUVER - Municipal officials warn that Canada's aging municipal infrastructure is crumbling, and they're looking for a promise of long-term investment from the federal government to address the problem.
The Federation of Canadian Municipalities says traffic congestion alone is costing the country $10 billion a year in lost productivity.
The group says one in four city wastewater treatment plants will need major upgrades to meet new federal regulations.
Federal funding commitments worth $2 billion a year are set to end in 2014 and the Conservative government is working on a new plan.
The cities say the federal government needs to make local infrastructure a budget priority, even in these lean times.
The federation will release specific recommendations Tuesday in Vancouver for infrastructure funding.
