LETHBRIDGE, Alta. — Alberta’s municipalities can apply for a new provincial infrastructure grant, but Municipal Affairs Minister Ric McIver says more funding is needed.

The province aims to distribute a total of $20 million each year for the next three years.

McIver says the program is meant to help fast growing mid-sized cities with populations under 200,000 address infrastructure needs such as sewer systems, roads and water lines.

Some of the annual funding will be set aside for municipalities with fewer than 10,000 people.

McIver says the program will likely be oversubscribed given the limited funding available and the widespread need for additional infrastructure funding across the province.

Alberta Municipalities, the organization that represents mid-sized cities, estimates the province has a $30 billion infrastructure deficit.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 22, 2024.

The Canadian Press