[Advisors] Infrastructure money for community-based broadband

[Garth Graham]

Here are three references to "infrastructure" as community-based =
broadband in the new Federal Budget:

> Building Canada Fund
> Economic Action Plan 2013 provides $14 billion over 10 years to =
support infrastructure projects of national, regional and local =
significance. The new Building Canada Fund will have two components:
>=20
> 	=95 A $4-billion National Infrastructure Fund that will support =
investments in projects of national significance, such as highways, =
public transit, and gateway and trade corridor-related infrastructure.
> 	=95 A $10-billion Provincial-Territorial Infrastructure Fund =
that will support projects of national, regional and local significance =
in communities across the country in a broader range of categories =
including highways, public transit, drinking water, wastewater, =
CONNECTIVITY AND BROADBAND, and innovation.


> The Community Improvement Fund includes:
> 	=95 $21.8 billion over 10 years through Gas Tax Fund payments. =
Currently $2 billion per year, it is proposed that these payments be =
indexed at 2 per cent per year, starting in 2014-15, with increases to =
be applied in $100-million increments. The Government will conclude new =
Gas Tax Fund agreements before the end of current agreements on March =
31, 2014. The list of existing eligible investment categories will be =
expanded to include: highways, local and regional airports, short-line =
rail, short-sea shipping, disaster mitigation, BROADBAND AND =
CONNECTIVITY, brownfield redevelopment, culture, tourism, sport, and =
recreation.


> Support for First Nations Infrastructure
> Economic Action Plan 2013 proposes $155 million over 10 years for =
First Nations on-reserve infrastructure from the new Building Canada =
Fund, in addition to allocations from the Gas Tax Fund.
>=20
> Under the new Building Canada plan, the Government will continue to =
provide support for investments in First Nations infrastructure projects =
on reserve such as roads, bridges, energy systems as well as other First =
Nations infrastructure priorities.
>=20
> Funding of $155 million over 10 years will be allocated from the =
National Infrastructure Component of the new Building Canada Fund to the =
First Nations Infrastructure Fund managed by Aboriginal Affairs and =
Northern Development Canada. Funding from the Gas Tax Fund component of =
the Community Improvement Fund will also be allocated to the First =
Nations Infrastructure Fund, with this allocation based on First Nations =
population on reserve. This Fund focuses on five priority areas: =
improving First Nations energy systems (linking to power grids, =
sustainable energy systems), BROADBAND CONNECTIVITY, garbage disposal =
(including landfills and recycling), road and bridge projects, and =
improving community capacity for infrastructure planning. Funding =
allocated from the new Building Canada Fund and the Gas Tax Fund will be =
at least equivalent to the level of funding allocated under the 2007 =
Building Canada plan.

Now what are we going to do to get municipalities to pick up on that =
option?

GG=