WINNIPEG, Manitoba - The new Government of Canada and
the Government of Manitoba came to an agreement that will enable work to
continue on the expansion of the Red River Floodway. The Honourable Vic
Toews, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, together with
Manitoba Premier, the Honourable Gary Doer, today announced a joint
contribution of $84 million for the continued construction of the Manitoba
Red River Floodway. Once this project is complete, it will help
ensure the safety and security of Manitobans, while contributing to the
ongoing economic development of the province.
With this announcement, the Government of
Canada continues to deliver on its existing commitment to the expansion of
the Red River Floodway and provide Manitobans with additional protection
from flooding. This project will continue to provide significant flood
protection for the residents of Winnipeg, West St. Paul, and East St.
Paul. Before today's announcement, the governments of Canada and Manitoba
had already contributed $240 million toward this project. Today's
announcement brings total project funding to $324 million.
"The construction of the Manitoba Red River
Floodway is important to the safety and security of Manitobans," said
Minister Toews, on behalf of the Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of
Transport, Infrastructure and Communities. "With the devastation of the
1997 flood still fresh in mind, there is no denying the necessity of flood
protection such as the Red River Floodway."
"Today's announcement will ensure that we
are one step closer to reaching the 1-in-300 year level of flood
protection by next spring as we build to the 1-in-700 year flood
protection level, said Premier Doer. "The additional funding will go
towards tendering additional channel excavation work and ensure that the
project remains on schedule as it moves forward. Again this spring, the
floodway prevented over $2 billion in flood damages when it was operated
to reduce flood water levels in Winnipeg."
After the 1997 "Flood of the Century," the
International Joint Commission reviewed flood protection in the Red River
Valley and concluded that: "the risk of failure of Winnipeg's existing
flood protection infrastructure is high under flow conditions similar to
or greater than those experienced in 1997." In response, Canada and
Manitoba reviewed various flood protection options and determined that an
expansion of the floodway provided the maximum benefits for the funds
invested. In addition, Canada and Manitoba have invested $130 million in
flood protection for communities in the Red River Valley since 1997.
Construction began in September 2005. To
date, work on the project has included excavation of the east embankment
gap near Grande Pointe and channel excavation from the Inlet to the PTH 59
South Bridge, along with construction of the Trans-Canada Highway East
Bridge, the PTH 59 South Bridge and the Sprague Railway Bridge.
The Government of Canada's contribution
comes from the Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund, which supports
large-scale projects of major national and regional significance in areas
that are vital to sustaining economic growth and supporting an enhanced
quality of life for Canadians.
Contacts:
Felicia EngstromOffice of Minister Toews(204)
983-7096
Jonathan HildebrandOffice of Premier Doer(204)
945-1494
Natalie SarafianOffice of Minister Cannon(613)
991-0700
Ronuk ModhaManitoba Floodway Authority(204)
945-4178
Infrastructure CanadaCommunications and
Promotion(613) 948-1148
