Municipal Sustainability Initiative (MSI) funding has been renewed for an additional two years, heard County of Wetaskiwin councilors at a recent meeting.
On May 11, 2017, a letter and agreement was received from Janice Romanyshyn, executive director of the Grants and Education Property Tax branch with Municipal Affairs, stating the provincial government is committing to two years of stable, predictable MSI funding for municipalities.
According to the Government of Alberta website, “The Municipal Sustainability Initiative (MSI) helps support local infrastructure priorities and build strong, safe and resilient communities. Municipal Affairs has allocated approximately $8.4 billion to municipalities since the program launched in 2007. This has meant communities across Alberta have been able to build and rehabilitate their roadways and bridges, water and wastewater systems, public transit facilities, and recreation and sport facilities, and address other key local priorities.”
The MSI agreement extension will coincide with the provincial fiscal years ending 2018 and 2019.
“As you’re aware, MSI application ended at the end of 2017,” said County of Wetaskiwin CAO Frank Coutney during council’s May 15 meeting.
Municipalities across the province spent the first portion of 2017 wondering unaware of the details of the extension.
County council did not discuss more details of the extension during their meeting, other than to approve the MSI amending memorandum of agreement.