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When will we see shovels?

February 8th, 2009 · 5 Comments

There was much talk about shovel-ready projects to get the nation moving again when the budget was announced Jan. 27.

But no one quite knows yet when or how those projects will roll out. I checked with both Surrey and Vancouver in the last week and neither has heard yet what the process is going to be for getting that money.

In Vancouver, head engineer Tom Timm says the city has some projects ready to go, especially the strengthening of the Granville Bridge, which is already going out to tender. The city was looking for cost-sharing on the $5-million project, but is waiting to hear how to get it. Also on Vancouver’s list: 1. Some cycling/greenway projects; sewer projects, especially the ongoing effort to separate the storm and sanitary sewers throughout the city; and the replacement of some small bridges over the Grandview Cut around Nanaimo.

But neither Timm nor the mayor’s office out in Surrey have heard yet whether the federal government is going to ask that all projects get one-third of their funding each from federal, provincial and city levels or if it’s half and half or what.

Which is all strange, considering that Langley already heard earlier this week about federal dollars that will be flowing its way for a major project, as the Advance reported.

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