Mayor Katz Delivers Warning on Infrastructure

Mayor addresses Big City Mayors in Saskatoon

WINNIPEG - May 31, 2012 - Mayor Sam Katz today warned mayors attending the Federation of Canadian Municipalities' Big City Mayors' Caucus in Saskatoon that the infrastructure deficit in Canada's major cities is growing so large that it may become impossible to fix.

�The City of Winnipeg, like other major cities, is facing a crisis in infrastructure,� said Katz. �If we throw our hands in the air and don't address the problem, we'll dig ourselves into such a big hole that our great, great, great grandchildren won't get out of it.�

In his message, Katz emphasized that all levels of government need to be part of the solution to crumbling infrastructure. Katz noted that for every new dollar in taxes that Canadians have paid during the past 50 years, federal and provincial treasuries have collected 95 cents, with just five cents paid to municipalities.

�There is only one taxpayer,� Katz said. �We must look to provincial governments, as well as the federal government, if we want to put in place a real, long-term solution.�
At a meeting of Winnipeg City Council yesterday, councillors were unanimous in calling upon the Province of Manitoba to transfer revenue generated from a recent 2.5 cent per Litre increase in the gasoline tax directly to municipalities to address infrastructure requirements.

Mayors are also focusing on the federal government's commitment to develop a new long-term infrastructure plan to replace its Building Canada Plan, which expires in March 2014.

The Big City Mayors' Caucus is made up of the leaders of the country's 22 largest municipalities.