Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) is looking to be recognized for financial contributions involving the Canada Community Building Fund.
The national fund, formerly called the "Gas Tax Fund," helps funding infrastructure projects in municipalities across the country. Councillors from Six Nations are arguing that due to the amount of gas stations and resulting federal tax dollars and profits from those stations, the community should receive a larger amount of funding that would go towards infrastructure projects like bridges and roads repairs. The topic was explored on Nov. 28 when SNEC heard a presentation on Six Nation’s Bridges and Culvert Inspection Summary.
The summary was done by McIntosh Perry Consulting Engineers Ltd. (MPCE) and Curtis Stewart an engineer for the firm presented the results to SNEC.
Stewart said that the consulting firm inspected and completed studies on all structures across Six Nations of the Grand River territory (40 in total, 19 bridges and 21 culverts). Stewart presented SNEC with the findings from the study: the MPCE found 12 structures that would need repairs or be replaced within the next year to five years at an estimated cost of over $5 million. Another four structures would need repairs or replacement in the next six to 10 years at an estimated cost of over $1.25 million.
During the discussion, Coun. Helen Miller spoke on Six Nations' situation and compared it to the City of Brantford. She said that Brantford is able to get funding for infrastructure like roads and bridges through the Canada Community Building Fund and that Six Nations needs to fight for its share of funding due to the contributions the community does for the government.
"If we could ever count how much money we donate to that federal gas tax with our 16-17 gas stations, we should be considered a large city. And that's what we should be fighting for and we should be getting that share of the money as opposed to getting it for a little community."
Other councilors echoed Miller's remarks, including Coun. Nathan Wright who also spoke on the issue of heavy traffic and transport trucks impacting the bridges and roads infrastructure.
"I think the two political issue we need to deal with are the tax issue, and ensuring at the end of the day we're getting our fair share, because Councillor Miller is right, how much money from all of our gas stations and they do collect tax, lets not kid ourselves we are tax collectors from a gas perspective. How much of that money goes into the infrastructure fund that Canada funds."
He continued with a discussion about traffic and transport trucks issues on Six Nations saying, "I think it was like the third council meeting I ever went to, I raised this and we really talked about that need to exercise our jurisdiction, because its a jurisdiction issue on our roads and who's allowed on those roads."
Listen to the full CJKS story below: