OTTAWA -- Canada's cities are asking the federal Liberals for more money and new ways to fund municipal projects as part of their newly released wish list for the first 100 days of the Trudeau government's second mandate.
The document urges the Liberals to boost annual increases to the gas-tax fund that gives money directly to cities to pay for work on roads, bridges, highways, transit and water systems.
The Federation of Canadian Municipalities is also asking the Liberals to permanently double the value of the program, funded by taxes that drivers pay at the pump, after the government gave the fund a one-time boost in the 2019 budget.
The group also wants the government to eliminate caps on funding for transit rehab projects, allow other spending to help cities upgrade their council chambers and administrative buildings, and double the money for projects that help communities adapt to climate change.
The requests come at the tail end of the federation's meeting in Ottawa this week, which will include a meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau this afternoon.
Infrastructure Minister Catherine McKenna told the gathering of municipal leaders on Wednesday that getting projects built quickly is her top priority.
This report was first published by The Canadian Press on Nov. 28, 2019.
