Prime Minister, Stephen Harper recently spoke to the success of the federal government’s stimulus initiatives. He announced the deadline for completing projects under the government’s various infrastructure initiatives has been extended to October 31, 2011. This involves about $16 billion dollars the federal government has provided, but the extension does not involve any new funding. It is intended to allow time for planned projects to be completed that otherwise had been interrupted due to bad weather the construction season experienced this past year.
Money spent on infrastructure projects in communities across the country is where the government deserves some credit. These projects relieve the costs to local and provincial governments and are funded projects that are worth the investment. The projects also provide for all levels of government and the private sector to work in partnership to secure necessary infrastructure projects. The Prime Minister’s announced extension of the deadline for these projects is worth applauding.