Good morning, Mr. Chair. Thank you for the opportunity to present to this committee today.
By way of introduction, I'll offer a few facts about the Halifax Regional Municipality, also affectionately known as HRM.
Halifax has a population of 395,000 people, constituting about 42% of Nova Scotia residents and over 15% of Atlantic Canadians. Halifax accounts for nearly half of Nova Scotia's GDP and has a stable and diversified economy. We have one of the best educated workforces in Canada, with 60% of the working-age population possessing a post-secondary degree or diploma. HRM adheres to its multi-year financial strategy, has an A-positive rating with Standard and Poor’s, and has reduced its outstanding debt by over 20% since 1998 through its debt reduction plan.
It has been interesting hearing submissions today from a diverse group of stakeholders. I'm especially pleased to have been joined earlier today by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.
Earlier this year, HRM had the opportunity to invite the Conference Board of Canada to present to the Mayor's Forum on the Greater Halifax Economy on the Conference Board of Canada's hub city concept. Conference Board research has identified nine cities in Canada that are the economic engines in their respective provinces. However, in the case of Halifax, the Conference Board concluded that Halifax is an economic engine not only for Nova Scotia but for the entire Atlantic region, the only regional economic hub city in Canada.
This research showed that strategic investment in hub cities has far-reaching benefits for an entire province or region, more so than investment on a per capita basis. The hub attracts people and businesses, acting as a growth engine and spurring faster rates of growth in the rest of the region.
Increased investment in hub cities will help them reach their full potential, but it's not the only factor. Increased alignment of priorities between all levels of government and community stakeholders allows the city to advance at a faster pace by having everyone work towards the same goals. Halifax values the open communication and close working relationships it has with its government partners. In recent months, we have started some large infrastructure projects in partnership with the provincial and federal governments, namely, the Canada Games Centre, which will host the 2011 Canada Winter Games, and the Ragged Lake Transit Centre.
Like many Canadian cities, Halifax is striving to keep its aging infrastructure in adequate working condition while at the same time expanding it to meet the needs of its growing population. Infrastructure, without a doubt, is our top priority and we very much welcomed the federal economic stimulus funds announced in last year's federal budget. However, we have encountered significant issues in accessing that funding. Since the time of our written submission to this committee, we have reached a funding agreement around the infrastructure stimulus fund that will assist us with a number of projects, which we are very pleased about. That agreement was signed about three weeks ago. However, it comes too late in the year for this construction season, so its full stimulus benefits will not be felt until spring 2010.
I must also note that Halifax submitted two successive funding applications in April and July, both of which were rejected due to concerns that they did not meet program criteria. It is our belief that both applications did meet published criteria, so we strongly urge that future programs establish funding criteria that are clearly and consistently applied in order to avoid such delays.
We are experiencing similar delays with the Building Canada Fund. Although this fund was announced two years ago, HRM does not yet have a funding agreement.
We want to go on record as supporting the recommendations of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities around infrastructure: one, that program eligibility criteria are clear and consistent nationwide; two, that program details and processes are available 60 days following program announcements to reduce unnecessary delays; and three, that infrastructure move to program-based funding such as the gas tax, which is reliable, easily accessible, and ensures accountability.
In closing, we look forward to building on our positive and productive working relationship with the federal government. The permanent gas tax and economic stimulus programs recognize the vital role municipalities have to play nationally and provide the foundation of a strong and equitable partnership. Collaboration on our shared priorities will lead to a positive outcome for all our citizens.
Thank you for your attention.