VICTORIANEWS VICTORIA Judged the best newspaper in B.C.
Teachers update
World’s biggest class
Looking ahead after this week’s teachers walkout. News, Page A5
Olympian Adam Kreek hopes to break world record on the Gorge Waterway. Sports, Page A27
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
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Getting to the centre of things Ecouter de la musique Musicians Chris Frye, left, and Brooke Maxwell, sitting in Frye’s backyard in Esquimalt, are ready to perform at the upcoming Victoria French Fest. The Victoria Francophone Society welcomes guests to its annual celebration of French culture this weekend. See story, Page A23. Sharon Tiffin/News staff
Feds double up on bridge funding Provincial gov’t still absent from financial picture Roszan Holmen News staff
Victoria was counting on $8 million in gas tax funding, but was surprised to receive more than twice that amount for the Johnson Street bridge replacement project. The city will now receive $16.5 million from Canada’s gas tax fund. The federal government had
earlier contributed $21 million from the Building Canada Fund, bringing the total contribution to almost half of the estimated cost of the $77-million project. On Saturday, MississaugaBrampton MP and Parliamentary Secretary Eve Adams announced the grant at the bridge construction site. “The replacement of the Johnson Street Bridge is the single most important infrastructure project undertaken by the City of Victoria,” said Mayor Dean Fortin. “This unprecedented invest-
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ment by the federal government is deeply appreciated by our city.” The funding announcement is also good news for the Capital Regional District. Back in June, the CRD board agreed to allocate $8 million to the bridge, from the regional monies it expects to receive from the federal gas tax. With the city winning its own gas tax grant, the CRD board can now reallocate that $8 million to other regionally significant projects. During Saturday’s announcement, Ida Chong, Liberal MLA for
Oak Bay-Gordon Head, also took part. Her presence drew criticism from Victoria-Hillside NDP MLA Rob Fleming. “She took credit for basically what is a flow-through agreement,” he said. The Union of B.C. Municipalities allocates federal dollars within B.C., with some input from the province. The B.C. government has not, however, contributed any provincial money to the bridge replacement project to date. rholmen@vicnews.com
April 24 marks the halfway point in a 50-year contract between the City of Victoria and the Fairmont Empress Hotel regarding the Victoria Conference Centre. In many ways, it’s been a beneficial partnership, but hard times have fallen on the conference centre, leaving some wondering whether the city council of the day signed a raw deal for taxpayers. With 25 years left on the city’s lease on the hotel property, the News explores the question. See Pages A10-11 for story.
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