News Release

From the Prime Minister's Web Site (http://www.pm.gc.ca/)

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PRIME MINISTER STEPHEN HARPER LAYS OUT NATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN FOR MUNICIPALITIES

June 1, 2007
CALGARY

In a speech to the 70th annual conference to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities today, Prime Minister Stephen Harper told 2,000 civic politicians and public servants that Canada's New Government has begun an historic effort to revitalize national infrastructure and improve quality of life in communities from coast to coast.

"In collaboration with the private sector and other levels of government, our government is embarking on the largest infrastructure development program in half a century," said Prime Minister Harper. "Not since the great national transportation megaprojects of the post-war era has the federal government launched such a massive undertaking."

Included among the projects funded by the government's $33-billion infrastructure plan are:

The clean-up of Saint John Harbour

The Autoroute 30 bypass around the Island of Montreal

The FLOW project to reduce traffic congestion and improve air quality in the Greater Toronto Area

The expansion of the Red River Floodway to protect Winnipeg

The Asia-Pacific Gateway and Corridor Initiative to tie Canada into the booming Far East through our West Coast ports

The Prime Minister also spoke of making Canadian communities healthier and safer by taking action to protect the environment and cracking down on crime. The Prime Minister noted the Government has introduced mandatory limits for industrial emissions, a policy that will cut industrial air pollution in half by 2015 and reduce Canada's total greenhouse gas output 20% by 2020. He added that government is also moving to make Canadian streets safer with 11 anti-crime bills, including laws that take aim at street racers, introduce mandatory prison sentences for gun crimes and keep violent, dangerous offenders behind bars.

"Our government's agenda is ambitious, but it's also practical and focused. Working together, I know we can build a country that will be recognized as the best place in the world to find work and raise a family," Prime Minister Harper said.

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The Prime Minister's Office - Communications
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