News Release

HAMPTON (GNB) – Infrastructure investments totaling $2.7 million were announced today in Hampton under the Small Communities Fund and the Gas Tax Fund.

“These infrastructure investments are being made to ensure a safe water supply for the town and to support important road and street improvements,” said Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries Minister Rick Doucet. “The municipality and the province are working in partnership with the federal government to support the sustainability of this community and to create jobs.”

Doucet spoke on behalf of Environment and Local Government Minister Brian Kenny.

“Our government understands that by building stronger communities and modernizing and developing our infrastructure, we are creating jobs and opportunities and building a better Canada for future generations,” said Rob Moore, minister of state for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA). “The Small Communities Fund of the New Building Canada Fund, along with the federal Gas Tax Fund, supports economic growth from coast to coast to coast while ensuring that Canadian communities remain among the best in the world to live.”

Moore spoke on behalf of Infrastructure, Communities and Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Denis Lebel.

Through the Small Communities Fund, an investment of $1.2 million will fund upgrades to separate the current combined storm and sanitary system on Dutch Point Road and the adjacent streets. There are about 64 homes in the area that require the removal of combined sewer systems. The upgrades will reduce the risk of wastewater backup into basements.

Work also includes installing new piping and catch basin structures to collect and convey storm water in the area, reducing the risk of wastewater overflow into the environment.

“We are pleased to work with our government partners to address some of our most immediate infrastructure needs,” said Hampton Mayor Ken Chorley. “This investment represents a significant step forward in providing a sustainable future for the town and its residents.”

Under the Small Communities Fund, the provincial and federal governments are jointly investing more than $85 million funding for infrastructure over the next 10 years. Each project also receives matched funding from the community.

A total of 39 projects in New Brunswick communities will receive funding for strategic infrastructure projects that contribute to both a cleaner environment and economic growth. This is the first round of investments under the fund.

The Small Communities Fund was announced last year as part of the federal government’s 10-year infrastructure plan for communities with a population of less than 100,000. The fund was created under the New Building Canada Plan 2014-2024.

Eligible categories include highways and major roads, public transit, disaster mitigation, connectivity and broadband, innovation, wastewater, green energy, drinking water, solid waste management, brownfield redevelopment, local and regional airports, short-line rail, short-sea shipping and northern infrastructure.

Through the Gas Tax Fund, Hampton will receive more than $1.5 million in federal funding which will be used to upgrade and resurface streets throughout the town with new asphalt, including along several curbs and gutters, sidewalks, storm drains and storm sewers.

The annual, $2-billion, federal Gas Tax Fund provides predictable, long-term funding to help Canadian municipalities build and revitalize their local infrastructure while creating jobs and long-term prosperity. Projects are chosen locally and prioritized according to the infrastructure needs of each community. These projects not only improve communities, but the resulting jobs contribute to the local economy.