March 24, 2009
B.C., Feds hand out cash
Grants are coming fast and furious from B.C. and Ottawa.
Langley Township and City received news of federal and provincial funding last Friday.
The City has another more than $590,000 in its coffers thanks to speeders and those who don't wear seatbelts.
The B.C. government was doling out cheques last Friday and presented the City with $584,733 from the Strategic Community Investment Fund (which includes traffic fines), another $10,000 for green infrastructure planning, and a $3,435 carbon tax credit. The City qualifies for the carbon credit, having recently signed on to the province's Climate Action Charter.
The strategic fund includes remitting 100 per cent of B.C. traffic fines back to communities and distributed per capita.
Mayor Peter Fassbender said the strategic fund money will help enhance local policing. The City received $373,896 back in 2003 with the amounts growing each year. Last year's total was $505,468.
In the Township, a pedestrian overpass completing a piece of the Fort to Fort Trail will start construction this spring, with partial funding from the provincial and federal governments.
The overpass will be built in Fort Langley near the Jacob Haldi Bridge, crossing the CN Rail tracks.
The $308,000 project will be funded jointly, with half the funds coming from the Township, and half from the provincial and federal governments through the Localmotion program.
"It'll move pedestrians much safer," said Langley MP Mark Warawa at the Friday announcement.
The Township will also receive $1.5 million from traffic fine revenue, which will likely buy new RCMP vehicles. Another $50,000 is coming from the Trees for Tomorrow program for the Derek Double Day.
