Minister of infrastructure, Communities and Intergovernmental Affairs and Minister ofthe Economic DevelopmentAgency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec Ministre de l?lnfrastructure, des Collectivites et des Affaires intergouvemementales et ministre de I'Agence de d?veloppement economique du Canada pour les regions du Quebec Ottawa. Canada R232015 His Worship Keith P. Hobbs . seats City of Thunder Bay 500 Donald Street East Thunder Bay, Ontario P7E 5V3 HAN ?3 2015 mavens Dear Mayor Hobbs: Thank you for your letter of March 9th, 2015, regarding federal funding for the proposed Thunder Bay Event and Convention Centre project. 1 am very proud that our Government has delivered the New Building Canada Plan (NBCP) to help ?nance the construction, rehabilitation and enhancement of infrastructure across Canada. The Plan includes over $53 billion for provincial, territorial and municipal infrastructure over 10 years. Combined with investments in federal infrastructure and First Nations? infrastructure, total federal spending for infrastructure will reach $75 billion over the next decade. This is the largest and longest federal investment in job-creating infrastructure in Canadian history. Of the $53 billion under the NBCP, $47 billion consists of new funding for provincial, territorial and municipal infrastructure, starting in 2014-15, through three key funds: The Community Improvement Fund: $32.2 billion over 10 years consisting of an indexed Gas Tax Fund and the incremental Goods and Services Tax (GST) Rebate for municipalities to build roads, public transit, recreational facilities and other community infrastructure across Canada. The New Building Canada Fund: $14 billion over 10 years in support of major economic infrastructure projects of national, regional and local significance, including $1 billion in funding dedicated to municipalities with fewer than 100,000 residents through the Small Communities Fund. - A renewed P3 Canada Fund: $1.25 billion over 5 years to continue supporting innovative ways to build infrastructure projects faster and provide better value for Canadian taxpayers through public?private partnerships. Canad? -2- Amateur sport and recreation are eligible project categories under the renewed and indexed -- the largest component of the NBCP. However, as our Government has previously stated, professional sports are ?rst and foremost the responsibility of the private sector, which is why our suite of infrastructure programs does not allow for funding of facilities that will be used by professional or semi?professional athletes, including those of the American Hockey League (such as the farm team of the Winnipeg Jets). For this reason, I must inform you that the proposed Thunder Bay Event and Convention Centre project is not eligible for federal funding under Infrastructure Canada?s programs. This policy has been applied consistently across Canada for projects of this nature. This being said, Thunder Bay?s GTF funding could be directed towards a separate, stand? alone Convention Centre or recreational facility project that would not be used for professional or semi-professional sports. These project categories have been added to the renewed GTF program, as re?ected in the new Canada ?a Ontario Association of Municipalities of Ontario GTF agreement which came into effect April 1, 2014. Again, thank you for your letter. As always, I look forward to ongoing collaboration with the City of Thunder Bay as we continue to make record investments in world?class infrastructure that supports job creation, economic growth and a high quality of life for Canadians in every community across Canada. Yours sincerely, Denis Lebel, P.C., MP. c.c. The Honourable, Greg Rickford, Minister of Natural Resources and Minister for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario amid/as moment'le