Sharing Gas Tax Will Help Cities -- An ENN Commentary

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Official or not, it seems that our federal politicians are in full-on electioneering mode. Right now, whatever they say and do is being watched very carefully by their opponents and members of the media. Everything is put through an election filter to see how what is being said has been designed to win more votes.

Official or not, it seems that our federal politicians are in full-on electioneering mode. Right now, whatever they say and do is being watched very carefully by their opponents and members of the media. Everything is put through an election filter to see how what is being said has been designed to win more votes.


Unfortunately, that also means that even announcements or decisions long in the making are being treated as election fodder. So when Prime Minister Martin was in Vancouver recently to announce a joint triple-government agreement on the transfer of a percentage of gas taxes back to cities, it was reported as simply a case of the federal government shoveling money off the back of a truck to distract voters from the Gomery Inquiry.


And that's neither accurate, nor fair.


Agreements between levels of government in this country are not exactly easy to come by. Federal, provincial and municipal governments often jealously guard their jurisdictions from any perceived encroachment on their territories. Each treats the others with a certain level of disdain and mistrust. And since jurisdictions often overlap, it can create real problems when priorities differ.


That's why the announcement in Vancouver was such good news. Here we had the Union of B.C. Municipalities (UBCM) which represents cities and towns, the province of British Columbia and the federal government all agreeing - on a budget item no less. The item was the promised return of a portion of the federal gas tax back to cities. According to the Agreement in Principle, the UBCM will receive five cents of the 10-cent per litre tax. Last week, the deal got even better when the prime minister and NDP leader Jack Layton agreed to add an extra cent to that agreement.


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What does this mean for B.C. municipalities? It means they will now receive more than 700 million dollars over the next five years from the federal government. After five years, the agreement is available to be renewed for another five years, if all parties find it successful.


So far, so good. But here's where it gets really interesting. The money can't be spent on just anything. Instead, it's earmarked to achieve three goals: cleaner air, cleaner water, and reduced climate-disrupting emissions. To continue receiving funding, these goals have to be measurable and reported in a transparent fashion.


That's really quite extraordinary. Municipalities generally do not like to be told how to spend their money. And since cities are the creation of the province and funded by the province, provinces don't generally like restrictions imposed either.


But in this case, all three levels of government were able to see the clear advantages of putting the money towards sustainability objectives. Achieving these objectives will have many benefits including reduced smog and associated health care costs, and reduced infrastructure costs. As a result, the money will now be spent on initiatives like improving public transit, building bike paths, developing renewable energy projects, retrofitting buildings to be more energy efficient, improving drinking water and sewage systems, and more. These kinds of projects make for a healthier and more liveable city.


It's easy to become cynical about politics and political announcements around election time. But this agreement has set a new precedent in Canada that helps put us on the path towards sustainability. Hopefully, other provinces and municipal organizations will follow suit with their own agreements. By putting aside jurisdictional squabbles and focusing on the common objectives of a sustainable future, all levels of government can help make Canada a better place to live.


Related Link:
Take the Nature Challenge and learn more at www.davidsuzuki.org.

Source: David Suzuki Foundation