Two infrastructure projects in Fort McMurray are getting funds through the provincial government’s budget.
The GoA released its budget on Thursday highlighting their plan to create jobs and continue their effort to decrease the deficit.
Included in the province’s capital plan is $15 million to finish the Willow Square Continuing Care Facility and $8 million for repairs at the Northern Lights Regional Health Centre.
“The investment that we’ve seen in Willow Square and the hospital’s revitalization shows that our government is truly committed to our region,” said Laila Goodridge, MLA for Fort McMurray-Lac La Biche.
Tany Yao, MLA for Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo, noted funding for both projects will help the hospital in the long-run.
“That’s going to free up a lot of space for us, that’s a large investment there and something we definitely needed.”
These two projects also received funds during the 2019 budget. Last year, there were only three projects a part of the budget which included repairs at Keyano College.
This year, the province is setting aside around $6.9 billion for their capital plan.
Finishing work at Willow Square and the NLRHC are the only local projects getting direct funding.
There are a number of other projects that will impact Wood Buffalo including work to repair provincial highways.
Yao says crews will continue to work on fixing the traffic lights on Highway 63.
“It’s one of those bigger complaints I get all the time because it’s something people can visibly see, especially in the wintertime when we have the long nights.”
Meanwhile, Goodridge believes Wood Buffalo will benefit greatly from the province’s plan to create jobs.
This includes further reductions in their Job Creation Tax Cut, removing more red tape across all sectors, and accelerating the growth process for projects.
“Our platform during our April election was jobs, pipelines, and the economy… I think that shows that our government truly does believe in our oil and gas sector and believes in the Fort McMurray region.”
