PE: Powerful lobby group gives budget thumbs up

[SUMMERSIDE, PE] — One of the country’s most influential lobby groups has given its stamp of approval to the recent federal budget. 
Summerside Mayor Basil Stewart, president of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, said the organization is pleased with what was in the document.

There were two issues in the federal budget that the FCM wanted to see maintained — the gas tax rebate and the GST rebate to the provinces.


“To get the get the permanent gas tax etched in stone in the budget was tremendous accomplishment and we’re very pleased about that,” said Stewart, who was in Ottawa for the budget. “It’s committed to in the budget.”

He said gas tax rebate returns are approximately $2 billion to municipalities nationwide. The money, to be used in the communities, is distributed on a per capita basis.

“For Summerside it means $1.4 million a year in the form of a cheque that doesn’t have to be matched (many federal dollars are required to be matched by the municipality, these do not),” added Stewart.

The second program the FCM was happy to see retained was the return of the Goods and Services Tax to the provinces.
 Stewart was also pleased with Ottawa’s decision to continue with the stimulus program, which he said would mean more jobs for more Canadians.

“This means a lot of jobs and a lot of money to be spent so it should be a good year not only on P.E.I. but right across the country construction wise, to create jobs.”

Stewart said the role of the FCM is to create and maintain strong cooperative ties with federal, provincial and territorial governments to ensure the best deal for Canadian municipalities.
 The objective now is to keep working with governments to ensure that these dollars keep finding their way locally, he added.