New federal gas tax deal with province done

NEWS — The feds and the province have agreed on terms for the renewed federal Gas Tax Fund that will contribute about $3.4 million to this year’s City of Kamloops budget and $22 billion in funding across the country over 10 years.

Federal Industry Minister James Moore, B.C. Community, Sport and Cultural Development Minister Coralee Oakes, and UBCM president Rhona Martin announced the agreement today.

The Union of B.C. Municipalities will administer distribution of the funding in B.C. The money is already accounted for in the City’s budget, which estimates the annual contribution because of delay in signing off the federal-provincial deal.

Gas tax funding is based on census data.

Coun. Arjun Singh, a Thompson-Nicola Regional District director, reported the news to the regional board today but said some details of the funding are still fuzzy. Asked whether the new version of the fund will include fire-protection services, Singh said he didn’t think so.

“It doesn’t sound like fire service or emergency services day-to-day are covered.”

Pinantan Lake is considering setting up a fire department in the wake of a fire that destroyed the general store there a few weeks ago and is looking for funding help.