OTTAWA — B.C. and Ontario are being backed by the federal government for major highway improvements, with a total price tag of about $6.5 billion announced yesterday.

On the west coast, the feds and B.C. will jointly fund up to $231 million worth of National Highway System improvements in the province, under the Building Canada Plan.

Not all of the specific projects in the province have been revealed yet, but the first project to receive funding involves constructing a nine-km four-lane highway west of the existing two-lane section of Highway 97 between Winfield and Oyama, B.C. Work is scheduled to be completed by 2012.

"The Winfield-Oyama project is terrific news for this growing region," said B.C. Transport Minister Kevin Falcon. "The road upgrades will improve safety, stimulate further growth in our economy, and help to boost our competitiveness by moving people and goods more efficiently."

In November 2007, the Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia signed an Infrastructure Framework Agreement under Building Canada worth $2.2 billion for infrastructure initiatives from 2007 to 2014, which provides $25 million per year to British Columbia through to 2014.

Meanwhile, the governments of Canada and Ontario revealed the signing of an infrastructure Framework Agreement worth more than $6.2 billion under Building Canada, which will help address infrastructure needs and priorities in Ontario until 2014.

Improvements on Highway 11/17 in northwestern Ontario, expanding rural broadband coverage in southern and eastern Ontario, and rapid transit in the Waterloo region have been earmarked as initial priorities.

Federal funding for these investments comes from the $33-billion Building Canada plan. Through this plan, the federal government will provide long-term, stable and predictable funding to help meet infrastructure needs across Canada.