WINNIPEG – July 3, 2009 – Committed to ensuring that repairing our crumbling roads and bridges remains a top priority for all levels of government, the Secretary of Strategic Infrastructure Renewal will provide reports to Executive Policy Committee that show a total funding shortfall of $7.4 billion dollars to achieve an appropriate level of condition.

“With every passing day, our roads and bridges are falling into a further state of disrepair,” said Winnipeg Mayor Sam Katz. “Our public service has confirmed what we’ve always known - that the current level of funding is simply not an option if Winnipeg is expected to make serious strides to long term sustainability of its existing and new infrastructure priorities.”

Over the past decade, the City has dramatically increased its infrastructure investments from a total capital of $120 million in 2001 to $476 million in 2009.

But due to deferred repairs in the 1990’s and unprecedented construction inflation, the City is now facing an arduous task in repairing an extensive list of infrastructure repairs.

“The City only receives 8 cents out of every tax dollar, yet infrastructure renewal costs demand more and more resources,” said Councillor Russ Wyatt, Secretary of Strategic Infrastructure Renewal. “We need to find long term funding solutions with the provincial and federal governments so we can address our decrepit city streets. On July 24th, City Council voted 15-1 to ask the Province of Manitoba to fully fund Winnipeg’s regional road and bridge system like they do in every other Manitoban municipality.”

The public service’s report will be presented to members of Executive Policy Committee on Wednesday, July 8th.

WINNIPEG – July 3, 2009 – After conducting a successful spring larviciding program, the Insect Control Branch is continuing with its aggressive larviciding program. However, due to the recent wet weather there are many temporary pools of standing water and this, coupled with the warmer weather, creates ideal larval habitat and rapid development.

Between the spring flooding, the consistently wet, cool spring and now a 1 in 20 year summer storm that hit the entire south-eastern part of the province, the Insect Control Branch is monitoring the larval and adult nuisance mosquito population and fully prepared to react to the ever changing conditions.

The majority of the monitored standing water sites have moderate to high levels of mosquito larvae; however both ground and helicopter crews are working full out and current weather conditions have allowed them to make excellent progress larviciding within both Winnipeg and the surrounding 10km capital region area.

Current Adulticing Factor Analysis

Today the city-wide Adulticiding Factor Analysis (AFA) rating remains at medium. With an AFA of medium, the Insect Control Branch will undertake residual treatments in localized areas with permethrins, an environmentally friendly product made from the chrysanthemum flower, when the adult mosquito population begins to emerge. Residual treatments will be applied to localized areas of long grass and bushes and shrubs where adult mosquitoes rest during the day.

The effect of the ongoing larviciding, weather and the residual treatments will determine if the AFA rating moves from medium to high. To date, trap counts continue to be below 5 on average. Information on nuisance mosquito trap counts, as well as other AFA factors is available at Winnipeg.ca/bugline.

Help Fight the Bite

The City is strongly encouraging property owners to also help “Fight the Bite” as 50 percent of standing water sites are located on private property. Homeowners can take one of the following steps to eliminate standing water on their properties:

• Dump It! - containers
• Drain It! - eavestroughing or unused containers
• Cover It! - rain water collection containers
• Fill It! - low-lying areas
• Treat It! - biological larvicide

Conclusion of Cankerworm Control Program

As the cankerworms have reached larval maturity they will no longer be feeding, thereby rendering any further spraying ineffective. Therefore, the Insect Control Branch has concluded the cankerworm control program

The cankerworms are now at the stage when they start to descend from the trees on their webs and enter the ground, moving into the next stage of their life, known as the pupa stage.

This is the stage where the cankerworms stay in the ground and will emerge as an adult moth in the fall or spring dependent on species.

The Insect Control Branch would like to encourage residents to do their part by putting up tree bands this fall (September long weekend) in order to minimize next year’s population of cankerworms. For information on tree banding please contact 311, or visit the City’s Insect Control website at Winnipeg.ca/bugline

Interested individuals may acquire more information by contacting 311, or by visiting the City’s Insect Control website at Winnipeg.ca/bugline.