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14th August 2021
EDITOR
Canada and British Columbia invest over $110 million in 14 drinking water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure projects to provide reliable services to communities

NEWS PROVIDED BY
Infrastructure Canada
Aug 12, 2021, 19:03 ET

UCLUELET, BC, Aug. 12, 2021 /CNW/ - The governments of Canada and British Columbia continue to invest in local infrastructure during this unprecedented time to meet the needs of communities across the province, enhance peoples' quality of life, and support economic recovery from COVID-19.

Today, the Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, and the Honourable Josie Osborne, British Columbia's Minister of Municipal Affairs, announced funding for 14 water , wastewater and stormwater infrastructure projects in the province. Supporting communities to build modern and reliable water infrastructure is a shared priority for both governments.

Among the projects approved today, the District of Ucluelet will upgrade its local water treatment system to increase storage capacity for drinking water and improve access to clean drinking water in the community. The upgrades include adding a water treatment plant at the Mercantile Creek water source, adding filtration of the well field that pulls from Lost Shoe Creek, and adding a third reservoir to the Ucluelet drinking water system.

Port Clements will improve how it treats wastewater by replacing the existing lagoon with a new aerated wastewater treatment lagoon system. This new system will increase overall retention time, provide separate cells for aeration, and limit the risk of a system failure. Its increased efficiency will help reduce energy consumption and extend the lifespan of this critical wastewater infrastructure.

The Cowichan Valley Regional District will increase the capacity of the Saltair Water System to treat drinking water. Two new treatment units will be installed to improve water quality at the existing treatment plant site, along with a micro-hydro turbine to generate green power and reduce the plant's overall energy consumption.

The Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia are investing $110.3 million in the 14 projects announced today through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program's Green Infrastructure Stream. Canada is contributing more than $60.2 million, conditional on requirements related to consultations with Indigenous groups being met. British Columbia is contributing more than $50.1 million. Project recipients are investing over $40.1 million in total.

Quotes

"Today's announcement of more than $60.2 million in federal funding will help 14 communities in British Columbia upgrade their water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure, and provide reliable services to local residents. In partnership with the Province, we continue to invest in critical infrastructure, building greener, healthier, and more resilient communities, and supporting local economies at a time when it is needed most. Canada's infrastructure plan invests in thousands of projects, creates jobs across the country, and builds cleaner, more inclusive communities."

The Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities

"Investing in infrastructure is investing in people, and these projects we're announcing today with our federal partners will benefit people for generations to come – not only by supporting cleaner, healthier communities, but also by creating important infrastructure jobs that contribute to local economic growth. In the coming months and years, I hope to be able to tour in-person the many upgraded and new water and wastewater facilities being made possible across B.C. with this funding."

The Honourable Josie Osborne, British Columbia's Minister of Municipal Affairs

Quick facts

Through the Investing in Canada plan, the federal government is investing more than $180 billion over 12 years in public transit projects, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, trade and transportation routes, and Canada's rural and northern communities.

Across B.C., the Government of Canada has invested more than $4.4 billion in over 580 infrastructure projects since 2015 under the Investing in Canada plan.

The Province is investing $3.6 billion over a 10-year period under the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program for British Columbia's infrastructure initiatives.

Backgrounder: Canada and British Columbia invest in 14 water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure projects to provide reliable services to communities

The Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia are investing $110.3 million in 14 water and wastewater projects through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program's Green Infrastructure Stream. Canada is contributing more than $60.2 million, conditional on requirements related to consultations with Indigenous groups being met. British Columbia is contributing more than $50.1 million. Project recipients are investing over $40.1 million in total.

100 Mile House

Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrades

Upgrade the district's wastewater treatment plant to increase capacity to manage wastewater and improve effluent quality

$409,524

$341,236

$273,051

Capital Regional District

Magic Lake Estates Wastewater Upgrades

Upgrade existing pump stations, install a new pump station and force main, decommission an old plant, and expand the Schooner wastewater treatment plant

$3,083,740

$2,569,526

$2,056,084

Cowichan Valley Regional District

Saltair Water Treatment Expansion Project

Install two new treatment units and a micro-hydro turbine to increase capacity to treat drinking water and reduce energy consumption

$2,142,400

$1,785,154

$1,428,446

Grand Forks

Stormwater System Management and Treatment Improvements

Upgrade the downtown stormwater system and incorporate rain garden and other infrastructure to address flooding and improve storm water management,

$1,859,732

$1,549,621

$1,239,977

Kelowna

Septic System Elimination and Sewer Connection Project

Replace the septic system in three areas with a new sewer system to better convey sewage to the existing wastewater treatment plant

$4,928,000

$4,106,256

$3,285,744

Regional District of Kootenay Boundary

Columbia Pollution Control Centre Upgrade to Secondary Treatment Construction and Commissioning

Upgrade the wastewater treatment facilities, including new headworks facilities, new primary and secondary treatment systems, new ultraviolet disinfection system, upgraded biosolids handling, and other works

$25,154,800

$20,960,237

$16,771,963

Nakusp

Wastewater Treatment Plant Optimization Project

Upgrade the wastewater treatment plant headworks, aeration system, and sludge management system to improve wastewater quality for environmental purposes and meet regulatory compliance

$540,000

$449,955

$360,045

District of North Vancouver

Reduction of Inflow and Infiltration Program - Lynn Valley

Increase the capacity to manage wastewater with rehabilitation of sewer pipes to reduce the frequency of overflows and reduce system operating costs.

$2,000,000

$1,666,500

$1,333,500

Port Clements

Wastewater System Upgrading

Construct a new aerated wastewater treatment lagoon system to replace the current, out of date system

$1,370,332

$1,141,829

$913,671

Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen

Missezula Lake Water System Upgrades

Install a new water treatment facility to address boil water advisories, meet regulatory requirements, and improve environmental flows

$916,104

$763,343

$610,813

Revelstoke

Wastewater Treatment Facility Upgrade

Upgrade the wastewater treatment plant to improve the level of treatment, increase capacity and control odours, including a new treatment process, a new partitioning and aeration improvements, a new lagoon cover, and other related work.

$5,359,200

$4,465,553

$3,573,247

Stewart

Wastewater Treatment Facility Upgrades

Construct a new rapid infiltration basin and perform associated works to increase system capacity and efficiency, and to reduce algae growth in lagoons and potential overflow into Bear River

$451,120

$375,895

$300,785

Ucluelet

Water Treatment System Upgrades

Add a water treatment plant, filtration, and a third reservoir to the Ucluelet drinking water system to improve treatment, increase drinking water storage capacity, and increase access to potable water

$3,840,000

$3,199,680

$2,560,320

Vancouver

Hastings Sunrise Sewer Renewal and Green Infrastructure Project

Replace the combined sewer with new separate sanitary and storm sewers in the Hastings Sunrise area to mitigate flooding, reduce sewer overflows into local marine waters and increase capacity.

$8,182,684

$6,818,221

$5,455,805

Associated links

Federal infrastructure investments in British Columbia
https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/prog-proj-bc-eng.html

Investing in Canada Plan Project Map
http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/map

Investing in Canada plan funding stream: Green infrastructure
https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/gi-iv-eng.html

Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program in British Columbia
www.gov.bc.ca/Investing-in-Canada-Infrastructure-Program

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SOURCE Infrastructure Canada


For further information: Contacts: Emelyana Titarenko, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, 873-355-9576, Emelyana.Titarenkoinfc.gc.ca; Lauren Mulholland, Media Relations, B.C. Ministry of Municipal Affairs, 250 208-0410, Lauren.Mulhollandgov.bc.ca; Media Relations, Infrastructure Canada, 613-960-9251, Toll free: 1-877-250-7154, Email: mediainfc.gc.ca

Related Links
www.infrastructure.gc.ca

https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/canada-and-british-columbia-invest-over-110-million-in-14-drinking-water-wastewater-and-stormwater-infrastructure-projects-to-provide-reliable-services-to-communities-839452508.html