The town of Creighton received its share of federal gas tax funding.
Each year, communities across Canada receive a total of around $2.2 billion in funding through the Federal Gas Tax Fund, including a little more than $72 million in Manitoba and just below $62 million in Saskatchewan.
In a letter received as correspondence at the March 27 Creighton town council meeting, an allocation was made for Creighton. Mayor Bruce Fidler said it was unclear where the money would eventually go, but said it is typically used on infrastructure projects. More information about the funding’s use will be known as discussions around the town’s 2019-20 budget advance.
“We haven’t talked about it yet. We knew something was coming, but we didn’t know how much. It hasn’t been earmarked for anything yet. It goes towards municipal infrastructure or capacity-building or green projects, things like that. There’s a wide variety of things that can fit into those categories. Once we’re through the budget and have a little more time to spend, we’ll go through it and see what we can fit into there,” Fidler said.
Meanwhile, the town’s budget will likely be ready within the next four to eight weeks. Fidler did not confirm an exact date for its release.
“Probably by next council meeting, we’ll have a really good idea,” he said.
Storage
The town approved buying three sea can storage containers to hold hazardous fluids, including paint and oil, at the Creighton landfill. The sea cans have been ordered and will be placed at the site once they arrive in Creighton in the coming weeks.
“This is in compliance to the recommendation of the Ministry of Environment for storage of oil and paint at the landfill,” said councillor Dan Hlady.
Council’s protective services committee recommended the purchase. In the past, paint and oil were stored in small shed-like structures on the landfill site.
Fire inspection
An inspection from a provincial fire commissioner has continued to face delays.
Members of the Emergency Management and Fire Safety wing of the provincial Ministry of Government Relations are set to do an inspection of abandoned buildings within Creighton town limits, along with members of the Creighton Volunteer Fire Department.
Fidler said the person set to do the inspection has been unable to head to Creighton to perform the job and did not set a date for when the task may be completed.
“It depends on his schedule and when he might have time to make it up here,” he said.
