$589M in Manitoba’s 2012 budget committed to roads and bridges

A 2.5-per-cent hike in gasoline taxes will help fuel a sizeable portion of the Province of Manitoba’s budget this year, committed to renewing and improving roads and bridges across the province.

On April 18, Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger announced that $589 million would be devoted to the province’s roads and bridges this year, with the most significant source of funding for the infrastructure improvements and repairs coming from fuel taxes.

The gasoline tax increase is the first in almost 20 years in Manitoba, which currently has the second-lowest gasoline taxes in Canada.

Selinger stated that more than two dollars would be invested in the province’s roads and bridges for every dollar in provincial gasoline tax.

The road and bridge renewal and improvements funding in Budget 2012 includes $50 million devoted to the continuation of repairing flood-damaged infrastructure throughout Manitoba.

Selinger said that more than 80 bridges and 200 roads are in need of repairs or complete reconstruction as a result of last year’s flood.

Other projects included in the province’s budget this year include: repairing 20 bridges or overpasses throughout the province, renewing and building more than 2,400 kilometres of roads; and the construction of the first phase of the east side road network.