Manitoba Heavy Construction Association

C M Y K 3 SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2019 A SUPPLEMENT TO THE WINNIPEG FREE PRESS A PROUD SUPPLIER TO THE HEAVY EQUIPMENT CONSTRUCTION COMMUNITY The circle Manitoba's economy generates government revenues, which fund our social infrastructure programs and critical services. The economy's growth is enabled by core infrastructure - streets, sewer, water, highways, bridges, drainage and water-control structures. Core infrastructure provides the foundation for all our economic activities, social programs and critical services. Not unlike social infrastructure programs – healthcare and education – core infrastructure requires a comprehensive, strategic investment approach. If ignored, this will threaten our economy's ability to generate wealth, and therefore the fiscal capacity to fund our social programs and critical services - our quality of life. The circle is complete – the elements are inextricably linked. The plan A long-term, strategic approach to public investment in infrastructure recognizes the value of core infrastructure to our economy, daily needs and quality of life. It involves reviewing what government now expends on core infrastructure, what new assets are required for economic growth, defining need and ability of each government level to pay, and identifying the infrastructure projects, such as trade transportation assets, holding the highest return on investment. Such a strategy is underpinned by an asset- management plan that allows monitoring the condition of infrastructure assets, the cost of maintenance or replacement, and providing for the assets we must build to maintain service to a growing population and to raise our international trade profile. It is put into action via annual and multi-year budgets to ensure capital investment is rolled out in a sustainable, efficient manner to prevent decay of assets and infrastructure-investment deficits from becoming unmanageable. The payback The benefits of a sound, sustainable strategy for infrastructure investment are • Manageable program levels – a transparent multi-year budgeting process allows the public to see how their needs will be met in a timely manner; it also allows industry to plan ahead, which ensures a competitive bidding environment, optimal prices and best value to the taxpayer • Prioritization of infrastructure projects – singling out projects with the highest return to the GDP spurs increased revenues to government, supports job creation, sustains social and other government programs and underpins the economy and our quality of life. • Sustainable borrowing – identification of priority projects, funding streams and balancing cost- sharing between governments - proportionate to each's revenue resources - through funding agreements allows each level to manage debt and debt-servicing costs. WHY DO WE NEED A SUSTAINABLE, LONG-TERM INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT STRATEGY? Need to know more? Go to mhca.mb.ca and click on the Fix Our Roads tab for a fuller discussion of a long-term strategic infrastructure investment plan for both the provincial and the municipal government levels. MHCA/Colin Corneau photo Waverley Underpass - Maple Leaf Construction

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