EDMONTON -- The government is fast-tracking infrastructure projects across the province in an effort to get some Albertans back to work.
Alberta is allocating $1.9 billion from the Capital Plan to repair roads, bridges, restore schools and fill potholes.
The government says these projects will get thousands of Albertans back to work.
"These infrastructure investments will be focused on projects that can be actioned quickly," Premier Jason Kenney said. "By doubling our capital maintenance and renewal project funds, we will deliver much-needed improvements to important assets, keep companies operating and most importantly, keep Albertans working."
The $1.9 billion will be distributed among 114 projects, including 27 schools and nine major bridge and road projects.
"Today, we are accelerating spending on capital maintenance and we will spend more money replacing boilers, replacing roofs and fixing leaky pipes and Windows," Infrastructure Minister Prasad Panda said. "We are spending more money on these projects because it will extend the life, and value of the public infrastructure. And because it will create jobs for people in the short term when we face unemployment unlike Alberta is seen in the last 90 years.
Out of the total sum, $60 million will be used to repair potholes across the province.
Budget 2020 had allotted $6.9 billion for capital in 2020-21. The announcement Thursday doubles the capital maintenance and renewal funding from $937 million to $1.9 billion.​
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