Hamilton, Ontario, October 5, 2012 -- Hamilton area residents and businesses are now benefitting from the completion of seven water and wastewater infrastructure projects across the region. These upgrades were completed thanks to joint funding from the governments of Canada, Ontario and the city of Hamilton.
"These improvements will ensure that Hamilton and neighboring communities continue to receive safe, clean drinking water," said David Sweet, member of Parliament for Ancaster -- Dundas -- Flamborough -- Westdale on behalf of the honorable Denis Lebel, minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities. "Infrastructure investments are an important driver of job creation and economic growth in Canada, and I am pleased that these projects will support the health of local residents, while contributing to the economic future of the Hamilton region."
"Our government is making targeted infrastructure investments to create jobs, stimulate the economy and build stronger communities," said the honorable Ted McMeekin, Ontario minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. "Water and wastewater infrastructure is key to the health and quality of life of our residents and the environment. As a result of these projects, the Hamilton region will have access to improved and important services for decades to come."
"Through this fruitful funding partnership, Hamilton has been able to rehabilitate seven major water and wastewater facilities that preserved the original buildings while bringing them up to modern standards," said Hamilton Mayor Bob Bratina. "This investment allows the City to continue to provide reliable and sustainable water and wastewater services to our community now and well into the future."
Through the Infrastructure Stimulus Fund, the governments of Canada and Ontario contributed $28 million each toward six water infrastructure projects and $10 million each for upgrades to the Biogas/Digester Energy Recovery project. The city of Hamilton contributed the remaining balance of the total project costs of $131.8 million for these seven projects. Please refer to the attached backgrounder for more details.
As part of Canada's Economic Action Plan, the Infrastructure Stimulus Fund supported more than 4,000 infrastructure projects across the country, including over 2,000 key infrastructure projects in Ontario.
The Government of Canada has engaged provinces, territories, municipalities and key stakeholders in a series of roundtables to guide the development of a new long-term infrastructure plan that will support job creation, economic growth and prosperity. We have heard that we are on the right track: there is a need for strong, sustained investment, and we must continue to work together moving forward. To improve infrastructure across Canada and ensure affordability and sustainability over the long term, our new plan will encourage greater use of public-private partnerships. This will help leverage new investments in infrastructure while respecting the capacity of Canadian taxpayers.
These projects also support Building Together, the Government of Ontario's long-term infrastructure plan to repair, rebuild and renew the province's roads and highways, bridges, public transit, schools and postsecondary institutions, hospitals and courthouses. Through Building Together, Ontario plans to invest more than $35 billion over the next three years to create or preserve over 100,000 jobs on average each year. Infrastructure investments create high-quality employment, support economic growth and help make Ontario's economy more productive.
Horizon Utilities Corporation has partnered with Hamilton on a number of electricity retrofit initiatives. Since 2010, the City and Horizon Utilities have completed 38 projects, with a combined energy savings of more than 13.3 million kWh. Included in those projects is the Woodward Avenue Water Treatment Plant. Horizon Utilities facilitated a $2.3 million incentive cheque through the Ontario Power Authority's saveONenergy Electricity Retrofit Incentive Program to assist with the electricity retrofit at the plant. When fully operational, the new system will result in a 2600 kW demand reduction and a 20 percent reduction in the station's annual electricity usage.
For additional information about investments in infrastructure and to stay up-to-date with web feeds, visit www.infrastructure.gc.ca.
For further information about Canada's Economic Action Plan, visit www.actionplan.gc.ca.
For more information on how Ontario is revitalizing its infrastructure, visit www.ontario.ca/infrastructure.
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