SELKIRK, MANITOBA, AUGUST 8, 2016 -- Canadians count on effective and reliable municipal services, such as water and wastewater treatment systems, to assure a healthy environment for their families and to sustain a vibrant and growing local economy.
The Honourable Brian Pallister, Premier of Manitoba; the Honourable Jim Carr, Member of Parliament for Winnipeg South Centre, and Minister of Natural Resources; along with the Mayor of Selkirk, Larry Johannson; and the Mayor of Gimli, Randy Woroniuk; announced more than $53.2 million in combined funding for two new wastewater treatment plants; one for the City of Selkirk and the other for the Rural Municipality of Gimli.
The City of Selkirk project will see the replacement of their existing ailing wastewater treatment plant, and improve the quality of the effluent discharged into one of Manitoba's greatest freshwater resources, Lake Winnipeg, as well as into the Red River. Along with improving the overall reliability of the wastewater treatment system, the new facility will increase its capacity, and serve the City of Selkirk, St. Andrews and Lower Fort Garry.
For the Rural Municipality of Gimli, an expanded and modernized wastewater treatment system will improve the long-term reliability and performance of the existing wastewater treatment system in this Lake Winnipeg beachfront town. It will also help to connect additional households in Gimli to the current wastewater system while allowing for future growth.
Both of these projects will help improve the quality of effluent that is discharged back into the lake, protecting the quality of the lake and enabling citizens and tourists alike to continue enjoying this valuable natural playground for generations to come.
"These projects will allow the City of Selkirk and the RM of Gimli to treat their wastewater to the highest quality nutrient removal and ensure the long term health of the Red River and Lake Winnipeg. Our Government is confident these investments will provide value for taxpayers and have a significant environmental impact in their communities," said Brian Pallister, Premier of Manitoba.
For the Selkirk Wastewater Treatment Plant project, the Government of Canada and the Province of Manitoba are each contributing up to $11,733,333 under the Provincial-Territorial Infrastructure Component - National and Regional Projects (PTIC-NRP), representing two-thirds of the estimated $35.2 million total eligible project cost. The City of Selkirk will provide the balance of the funding.
For the Gimli Wastewater Treatment Plant project, the Government of Canada and the Province of Manitoba are each contributing up to $6 million under the Provincial-Territorial Infrastructure Component - National and Regional Projects (PTIC-NRP), representing two-thirds of the estimated $18 million total eligible project cost. The Rural Municipality of Gimli will provide the balance of the funding.
The funding for the above two wastewater projects is in addition to what was announced on July 25 for 23 other community wastewater systems across the province under the Canadian Water and Wastewater Fund.
SOURCE: Infrastructure Canada
