Brian Bowman praises city infrastructure pledge from Manitoba Liberals

Winnipegmayor Brian Bowman considers the Manitoba Liberal Party's commitment to boost municipal infrastructurefundinggood news for the city.

Liberal Leader Rana Bokhari said Tuesday that if her party forms government next month,they will dedicate the one percentage point increase of the provincial sales tax (PST) to a municipal infrastructurefund.

"This is a big commitment and it is one that I would absolutely ... welcome and stand behind," Bowman said. "[I] want Winnipeggers to look very seriously at this commitment if they care about infrastructure."

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Revenue from the increasewould bedivviedup on a per-capita basis, and the Liberals would let municipalities decide which projects to spend iton, Bokhari said.

"It's predictable, it's long-term. Had this government given Manitoba municipalities their fair share already, [Winnipeg]would've been receiving almost $155 million a year," Bokhari told reporters outside city hall Tuesday.

The Liberals said instead of getting that money each year for the past three years, Winnipeg has gottenless than $50 million a year, adding up to$315 million in roadrepairs and infrastructure upgrades that have not been done.

"Municipalities are the level of government that are the closest to the people. They know exactly what their communities need and that's why this is so important," Bokharisaid.

Bowman and the Association of Manitoba Municipalities (AMM) have been lobbying provincial parties hardfor thecommitment.

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Bowman stopped short of endorsing the Liberals in the election campaign andsaidthere is still plenty of time before voting day April 19 for the other parties to match the Liberal promise.

NDP slams Liberal promise

The New Democrats criticized the Liberals' announcement, saying it "actually represents a cut from [the NDP's] committment."

NDP Leader GregSelingersaidhis party is already giving above onepercentage point of money from the PST increaseto municipalities.

"We are giving one-seventhof eightper cent of the PST. In other words, more than oneper centthat's better than any other political party has promised,"Selingersaid. "Secondly, we've said we are willing to be flexible on the portioning of that expenditure."

Last week the NDP unveiled its$10-billion infrastructure plan that would last through 2022. Selingerprojected the plan would produce 9,000-plus jobs per every $1 billion the province investsin municipal infrastructure projects.

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Selinger said he has met with members of the AMMand is willing to work with the organization on how that money would be spent.

"They understand that our proposals are quite robust and are willing to be responsive to their specific needs,"Selingersaid. "We've been willing to share the revenues we are generating. Of course everybody wants more money."

Meanwhile, the Progressive Conservatives said theywould devise a plan based on a "return on an investmentcriteria" in order to prioritizemunicipal road projects.

"This due diligence, in conjunction with predictable and dedicated investments of no less than $1 billionannually, will help address Manitoba's infrastructure deficit," a PC spokesperson said in a statement, adding a Pallister-led government would work with municipalities on infrastructure projects.

The PCs have pledged to rollback the one percentage point PST increase if elected.