In
Budget 2016, the Alberta government set aside $595 million over the
next five years to help fund water and wastewater infrastructure
improvement projects in small towns and rural Alberta. This round of
more than $117 million in funding will improve access to safe, reliable
water supplies and enhance environmentally-sustainable wastewater
treatment, while creating hundreds of jobs in communities across the
province.
"Modern water infrastructure not only protects the
families who live in our communities, it is the foundation upon which
the community can grow, attract investment and create jobs for future
generations," said Brian Mason, Minister of Transportation and Minister of Infrastructure. "A
key outcome of the Water For Life strategy is to ensure that Albertans
have a safe, secure drinking water supply. This investment will build on
an impressive list of projects to improve access to safe, reliable
water supplies and wastewater solutions, particularly in small towns and
rural Alberta, where it is needed most," Said Gord Edwards, Executive Director, Alberta Water Council. To
date, the Alberta government has committed more than $99 million in
Alberta Municipal Water/Wastewater Partnership (AMWWP) funding that will
support 44 water and wastewater improvement projects around the
province. In addition, more than $18.6 million will go to support 16
Water For Life (W4L) projects provincewide, including projects just
getting underway and final payments to municipalities for projects
recently completed. Through the Alberta Municipal Water/Wastewater
Partnership and the Water For Life program – initiatives that saw a
major increase in funding in Budget 2016 – the Alberta Government
cost-shares eligible projects with smaller urban and rural
municipalities to support the development of improved water and
wastewater infrastructure in smaller communities across the province.
That
includes: $11 million in Devon water project; $750,000 in Rimbey water
project; $6 million in Consort water project; $1.9 million in Vermilion
water project; $3.7 million in Thorhild water project; $500,000 in
Mountain View Regional Water Services Commission project; $200,000 in
Henry Kroeger Regional Water Services Commission project; $650,000 in
Hay Lakes water project.