Provinc of Manitoba
Media Release |
Municipal Government Minister Drew Caldwell, along with Robert Sopuck, member of Parliament for Dauphin-Swan River-Marquette, announced today that five communities from Manitoba’s Parkland region will benefit from major investments in renewed infrastructure through the New Building Canada Plan’s Small Communities Fund.
“By partnering with the Government of Canada and Manitoba municipalities, we are providing our rural communities with new and upgraded infrastructure that will create jobs and promote growth,” said Minister Caldwell. “These important projects demonstrate our commitment to supporting infrastructure and economic growth in our rural areas.”
“The AMM is very pleased to be on selection committee which made recommendations for the Small Communities Fund,” said Doug Dobrowolski, president of the Association of Manitoba Municipalities. “This announcement will allow municipalities to move forward in addressing their infrastructure needs.”
The project in the town of Neepawa includes the installation of a new trunk sewer from the existing lagoon that will address high volumes of wastewater as a result of rapid growth in the community.
“The Town of Neepawa is pleased that our application has received approval from the New Building Canada Fund. This first round approval will mean that we can begin a phased approach to the development of a high-priority infrastructure project which will provide alternate solid waste flow from the west side of our community directly to our treatment facilities,” said Neepawa Mayor Adrian De Groot. “As our community continues to grow, demands will increase and this project will address health and safety concerns experienced by businesses and residents affected in the area.”
An additional four projects were also announced today:
Minitonas Lagoon Upgrade –
$983,010 (three shares)
These lagoon upgrades in the town of Minitonas will repair and upgrade the original primary and secondary cells. This upgrade will bring the lagoon on par with provincial standards, accommodate additional population growth and ensure the preservation of the surrounding environment.
Swan River Heyes Street Pump Station Upgrade and Expansion – $525,000 (three shares)
Upgrades to the Town of Swan River’s aging Hayes Street pump station will include new electrical, pumping equipment and an expansion to the existing building. These upgrades will ensure continued reliable wastewater services to a number of single and multi-family residential buildings as well as a school and a small commercial area
* Hamiota sewer line renewal, and
* RM of Westbourne water line expansion.
The Small Communities Fund is part of the $10-billion provincial-territorial infrastructure component of the New Building Canada Fund. It will provide $1 billion nationally for projects in municipalities with fewer than 100,000 residents to build projects that deliver on local needs.
Manitoba’s support for these projects is drawn from its $5.5-billion, five-year plan to invest in core infrastructure including roads, bridges, clean water projects and flood protection. Independent analysis conducted by the Conference Board of Canada projects Manitoba’s plan will create 58,900 jobs, boost the province’s economy by $6.3 billion and increase exports by
$5.4 billion.