Municipalities in Manitoba have received some extra funding to help pay for road work.

The province is investing $15 million in a one-time grant program that will provide municipalities with financial support for road reconstruction, rehabilitation and preservation projects.

The new funding will be paid out on a per capita basis to the 137 municipalities in the province.

Killarney Turtle Mountain will pick up an extra $40,000 and Mayor Merv Tweed welcomes the additional support. “I think we’re like most municipalities with the heavy, heavy snowfall and excess rain this past spring. We have some areas in that are in desperate need of attention and what was announced today will help us in that direction.”

“We’ve had several areas we’ve had to pay attention to over the past week to 10 days and I suspect that is going to be our first priority. There are lots of potholes showing up on our roads and across our community so we have to pay attention to that as well.”

Municipalities will be granted the funding for costs related to road infrastructure improvements, including accessing repair materials and addressing workforce shortages.

“Our transportation and roads portion of our budget is one of our bigger expenses and it’s tough because you have road work and maintenance all spring and summer and then snow clearing all winter. Its hard on machinery and fuel costs are almost doubled to what they were so it’s a challenge” said Merv Tweed.

The grant is equivalent to a five per cent increase to the comprehensive operating and infrastructure funding support municipalities receive annually through Manitoba’s basket funding model, the Strategic Municipal Investment Fund.