PRESS RELEASE

							TEMPLATE FOR A PRESS RELEASE

                  CHBA – [Name] Releases Major Report on
                   How Local Infrastructure is Financed --
                    Calls for a More Balanced Approach
[Date]

The President of the CHBA – [Name] today released a major research report on how
local infrastructure in Canadian cities is financed. It is entitled The Urban Infrastructure
Challenge in Canada: Perceptions and Realities. He/she called for a more balanced
approach to be taken to infrastructure financing in the future, noting that the current
system puts a disproportionate burden on new home buyers and renters of new
dwellings.

“This report, by the noted Canadian economists Altus Clayton, reveals that a very large
role is already being played by the private sector in funding local infrastructure. Those
who are benefiting the most – users of municipal services supported by infrastructure
and property tax payers – are actually covering the smallest proportion of the total cost.”

The report concluded that the quality, service life and performance of basic urban
infrastructure can be greatly improved if investment is shared more broadly within the
community. This will mean that users and property tax payers invest more in the
infrastructure from which they receive a great many benefits, and upon which the
prosperity of the community depends. A combination of long-term financing and
increased emphasis on user pay principles will offer a much fairer and more efficient
approach to infrastructure investment. He/she said: “Our industry wants to be actively
involved in planning infrastructure for the future, recognizing that these are long-term
investments that should be both planned and budgeted far into the future.”

The President also called for provincial governments to take over the full costs of social
services and programs from the municipalities. “Then local property tax revenues
should be able to cover much more of the cost of building and maintaining services to
property, including basic infrastructure”, he/she said. “The provincial and federal
governments have the kind of progressive tax base that should be used to pay for
income support programs.”

Highlights of the Altus Clayton report are attached.

For a copy of the complete report, please contact the Executive Officer at: [contact
information].

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Canadian Home Builders' Association
June, 2008