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about infrastructure funding The Canadien Champion, Wednesday, July 30, 2008 - A3 Carr sees announcement as promnising Chwlleighfears hospital expansion delay Tbursdav's announicement of an agreement between tbe Province and tbe federal goveru- ment 10 improve infrastructure 10 tbe tune uf $6.2 million i, garnerîng a înixed reaciion among local pulîtîcians. 'ie lîancssuik agreement prnmises îu Wnei u2 billion int Ontario infrastructure user ses ci years. ht was signcd by tbc feder,îl and provincial g(tvernmenits uinder tbe Iccleral infrastructure plan. 0f tbat inoney, $3. 1 billion is from tbe federal goveromeni and $3.1 is froru tbe Province. -tlic funcling increases Lu $9.3 billion wben fedetal baîse fundîng and tbe federal gas taxes are included. Halton Regional Cbair Gary Carr saîd lie secs ibis announce- ment as a sselctme sign of coin inient to address senious cbat- lenges facîng Halton. "]'is îs promising news for Ontario munîcipalîties wbo struggle witb fînding solutions lu tbeir agîng infrastructure and accommodating population growîb targers of tbe Provinces Growtb Plan," Carr said. He added ibis sort of collabo- ratlye invesîment is wbaî regional council bas been acîvo- caiing for îbrougb its Faîruness for Haltoît campaigo. "I look furward to wurkiiîg wiib botb levels cf guverîîîeîîi 10 mnake sure I laIton gels îcs fair sbire of tbe funding," bie added. Previous efforts by Halton Region to get growîb relaîed infrastructure lundîng commit- menis from the lederal govern- ment bave beeni largeiy unsce- cessf o1. Tbe Faîrucss for ilton cam- paigo vsas cstiblisbed to îddîess tbe tact ibai Haltun Region ciai- nul accummodate tbe growtb targets specilîed in tbe Province's Places tu G row Plan wîîbouî extra fîîndîng from boîb levels of governiment for infrastructure and social service needs. Aecording 10 Carr, ibis announcement means calIs for collaboration are being beard. Tbe nexi sîep, bie said, îs tu sec wbaî thîs funding wili mean for Halton. Habton MPP Ted Cbudleigh. on the other hand, tan't ready to applaud the announcement. The funding agreement cornes on the beels of the recently announced one-year delav to the stant of construction to Oakvdlle's new bospital - reportedly due t0 a lack of con- strulction capacity, "if there isn't enough 'con- struction capaciîy' avadlable for Oakvdle's bospitai tben wbere is the Province going to find the construction capacity lu com- plete $7 billion wortb of infra- structure projecis?" Cbudleigh asked. His fear is the delay to Oakville's bospital will mean tbe hospital expansion slated for Milton svill also be put on bold. Milton bas grown to more tban tice tbe size tbe current bospital was buili te, serve. The MPP bas been collecting - signatures on a petition at bis constiluency office at 174 Mill St. Copies of tbe petition are also available ai www.tedcbudleigb.com. Tbere's also a letter avaîlable on tbe website tbat can be prnî- ed, signed and mailed to Premier Dalton McGuinty.