UPDATE: No new projects in capital budget

Finance Minister Wes Sheridan released the province’s capital budget today, which shows government plans to spend a total $83.9 million on infrastructure this year.

But don’t look for any new capital projects that have not yet been previously announced.

That’s because government is scaling back its spending in order to return to balanced budgets by 2015.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FULL BUDGET

“We have to be very cognizant of the fact that we’re not here to continue to spend money and put the province further into debt,” he told reporters this afternoon.

“There will not be (any projects) that you have not heard of before… this is what it’s all about when we’re trying to bring back capital spend to a reality."

Sheridan showed series of graphs that detailed the last several years of capital spending in P.E.I.

It showed peak spending on infrastructure projects took place in the 2009-2010 fiscal year when government spent $133 million in its capital budget.

Sheridan said this was a direct result of the worldwide recession and was part of stimulus spending to protect P.E.I.’s economy.

“We have to be very cognizant of the fact that we’re not here to continue to spend money and put the province further into debt,” - Finance Minister Wes Sheridan

Over the ensuing years, the province has been spending over $100 million a year in its capital budgets to continue that stimulus.

But massive spending of this kind will not continue.

Sheridan’s five-year plan shows the province plans to return to what he calls ‘traditional levels’ of capital spending of $50-$60 million by 2017.

The projects listed in today’s capital budget include renovations to Montague Intermediate, continued work on the manor replacement program and funding for technology in Island classrooms.

These are all projects that have been previously announced.

Just over $39 million has been allocated to the Department Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal, most of which will go toward highways and bridges.

More to come, a full report will be published in the print edition of The Guardian on Thursday.

The View From Here: - November 29, 2012 at 09:17:11

The real problem with rural development is that we in rural PE need to become more involved in the process. If we remain silent and don't let our elected officials know how we want rural PE to look like then it all gets decided by meetings held in the central part our our province. We must fremember that just marking an X on a ballot is the starting point in the process for change. Continue to exercise your right to vote and back it up with some meaningful discission with those who represent us. We must continue to foster a climate of open dialague. Continuimg to play this mindless blame game provides no accountablility as the future of this Island is ultimately in our hands.

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laughing my arse off: - November 29, 2012 at 00:05:52

But don’t look for any new capital projects that have not yet been previously announced. HELLO???????????? ....not yet previously been announced....ROTFL...here we go again ...round the circle of spending or should I say rounabout circle spending and on we go... and also...a P S...most people who get hired for a job drive their own cars to work and if they have to drive their own cars to work and driving is included in the job...that is usually specific in the job agreement, and then those employees drive their OWN cars to work and they put in a slip regarding miles/kilos traveled on said work event...and get paid the mileage.....like normal people - And the fact that Robert Ghiz gets just under $800 a month for his vehicle because he drives it instead of a government car....strange...people never really see or hear of him turning up at TAXPAYERS EVENTS WHERE THEY WANT HIM TO SHOW UP....to answer questions but he's pretty good at photo ops for the Guardian.... Every country state province is going through mega dollar problems and it is NOT because of taxpayers wasteful spending in all of these countries states provinces...it is GROSSLY OVERSPENDING AND NEGLIGENCE BY POLITICIANS. And to fix it all....surprise....politicians do not want to give up their freebies....not their freebie cars...or if they are rich they still won't fore-go their salaries ...(except I heard Danny Williams of NL didn't accept a salary while in office )...tell me if I am wrong...they the majority of politicians a not really are not in there to work for the people...they want the power - the office , and .they want to now make the people - the taxpayers pay for their transgressions....ok...people...PEOPLE...CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW????????? It's the politicians who are screwing us left right and centre. Stop voting for your old tried and never true party....stop voting for charisma....look and vote for one honest politician...and good luck on finding him or her.............me? I am fed up to the neck with dishonest and crappy and backroom politicians. I want someone who is for by and of the people...one honest politician who will fight the backroom and even fight their own party to be there for those who elect them....... If f political parties didn't make the monetary thing an over the top entry (like Fed Liberals wanting $75,000 to enter a Liberal leader race)....perhaps some ordinary Canadian who really cares might be the perfect leader....could get in there. I am so damn fed up with political crap from every party in every province federally and provincially. I am sure there are a LOT of people who feel the same way. We are fed up with political crap and we want to be represented for US...you know.....the damn voters. Do you hear me now....

Joe Blow: - November 28, 2012 at 20:16:13

Just imagine how well off PEI would be right now if the government hadn't wasted a buttload of money on patronage appointments and crooked business deals like dirt hills in borden and nonsense like that?? Anyways....this government has told so many lies since the last election that I have no reason to believe anything will change. They will continue to spend money they don't have on project they don't need to do and the debt will continue to get bigger and bigger. How come Ghiz doesn't have enough brains to pull Sheridan from finance and let someone else try to balance the books?? Oh yeah...thats right...because they are crooked business partners using tax dollars to make themselves money!

fred: - November 28, 2012 at 19:06:09

Yah, Most of the mla's and their friends had their rural development come through a windfall called P.N.P money. Now it is time for massive tax hikes on the backs of the low and middle income earners.Way to go wessey

plan abcdefg: - November 28, 2012 at 18:24:18

Hey Sheridan.... You could save another $10 million in your capital budget by cancelling Robbie's little bulldozer patronage project in Bonshaw. Oh, you don't have the courage to cancel the cheque eh? Just a few keystrokes in the computer between Finance and Transportation my friend. Spending item: Plan B. Action: Delete.

Spent: - November 28, 2012 at 17:39:53

Spent all the stimulus money over first term to make sure they got their pensions.Ghiz and company have their enflated pensions now....SO HST'little left in the Province for Capital expenses.They Bankrupt the Province for their gain.......their re election.SHAME.

XComa: - November 28, 2012 at 17:37:03

This is the 1st budget I actually looked at (which is sad) and I may be reading it wrong... But what it looks like to me is; over a 5 year period the Government plans to put us in Debt another 287 Million Dollars... I hope I am reading it wrong... If I am not reading this wrong then we need to get rid of this Government as soon as possible, if not sooner... In My Opinion, I think they should have been Turfed a while ago... They are Out of Control...

jack: - November 28, 2012 at 17:30:05

If the Islanders show some mettle and come out for the HST demonstration on Jan. 1st. and blocks the Premier Levee, I will stop calling them gutless wonders.

nick: - November 28, 2012 at 17:15:13

the last time there was talk of rural devepmernt money, was when Ron MACKINLEY announced it would be used TO CREATE for a concert venue in Charlottetown. I hope you all remember that, --- especially when you will be trying to get to the Hillsborough bridge AND THE CONCERTS ARE ON, - MAYHEM-- an other case of being planned B-ed.

Liberal Hack: - November 28, 2012 at 16:15:54

what's rural development ?!?!

Captain Canuck

- November 28, 2012 at 16:44:08

I found the definition for "Rural Development" in the Ghiz/MacDonald Oxymoronary and Thesaurus. Rural Developement: v, the emptying of the rural communities by drawing everything to the Urban Centres, closing schools and selling the acreage to "friendly" corporations.

country girl: - November 28, 2012 at 15:42:31

Am I missing something? Nothing for rural development???

7°C

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UPDATE: No new projects in capital budget

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