Feds cough up many millions for thousands of potholes

“We have aging infrastructure...and the potholes this year, they’re probably the worst I’ve ever seen."

That from Sault MP Terry Sheehan, and with a one-time top-up of $2.2 billion through the federal Gas Tax Fund, announced in the federal government's 2019 budget (tabled Tuesday by Finance Minister Bill Morneau), the Sault's share of road repair cash will come just in time.

Sheehan, in a news release issued Thursday, has outlined several points within the Liberal government’s 2019 budget which he says will benefit the riding.

Among them is the one-time top-up of $2.2 billion through the federal Gas Tax Fund, doubling the government's commitment to municipalities in 2018-2019, letting communities have the money needed to pay for crucial repairs and other key local projects.

“As a former city councillor I know infrastructure is absolutely critical for the riding of Sault Ste. Marie,” Sheehan said, speaking to SooToday Thursday, discussing the especially dire need for local road repair in 2019.

“We’ve heard it loud and clear from the mayors across Canada that they need infrastructure funding and they need it now, so what we’ve done is doubled our gas tax contribution to the communities to give them the ability to meet their infrastructure needs...this definitely covers roads, bridges, sewer systems and a whole lot of things the mayor and city council will put to good use (locally).”

“It’ll definitely be multiple millions,” said Sheehan, estimating the amount of money the Sault will receive for infrastructure funding as a result of the $2.2 billion Gas Tax Fund top-up.

On another note, Sheehan was asked about the creation of the new Canada Training Benefit within the 2019 budget's proposals.

The benefit is designed to help workers gain new skills, giving them money to help pay for training and provide income support during that training.

Workers will be able to receive a credit of $250 a year, up to $5,000 over a lifetime, for job retraining.

“This will benefit anyone,” Sheehan said.

“Never has the world moved (changed) this quickly. My background was with the Ministry of Colleges, Training and Universities in dealing with apprenticeships and skilled trades training and I’ve seen people working in a job and because of market distortions and technical advances, jobs change or are lost and replaced, so we want to make sure people’s skills match with businesses.”

“That’s important and I plan to sit down with the local training institutions and the local business community as we roll this out, with people in general...it’s exciting because there’s been a gap in our society over the years, this ability to have people trained. It’s life changing and will help our economy move forward,” Sheehan said.

In addition, Sheehan was asked about the new Canadian Experiences fund (which consists of $5.5 million in new funding for FedNor), also contained in the 2019 budget.

The Canadian Experiences fund is directed at creating and expanding tourism and tourism-related infrastructure.

The Sault MP told us he is especially interested in attracting more U.S. tourists to the Sault.

“I want to get more Americans across the International Bridge.”

“Stats maintain there are around three million Americans who go to Mackinac, from that a million will go to Sault Ste. Marie Michigan, and of that, 10 per cent will cross the International Bridge. We need to be really top notch in our thinking about how we can attract more Americans, and the larger international picture as well. The Agawa Canyon tour train is highly ranked by the Japanese,” Sheehan said.

“The Canadian Experiences fund is something I’m going to be discussing with Tourism Sault Ste. Marie and various local tourism players, to show them what’s there and brainstorm together where we can grow local tourism. There are the existing local tourism players and there will be new ones as the brainstorming goes on,” Sheehan said.

Tuesday’s budget is the final one for the governing Liberals before voters go to the polls in the next federal election, scheduled to take place on or before October 21.