Sept-Îles, August 9, 2007 Nathalie Normandeau, Deputy Premier of Quebec and Ministre des Affaires municipales et des Régions, and Luc Harvey, Member of Parliament for Louis-Hébert, acting on behalf of the Honourable Jean-Pierre Blackburn, Minister of Labour and Minister of Canada Economic Development, are pleased to announce that the Municipality of Rivière-au-Tonnerre will receive $2,814,868 in combined government funding under the Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund (MRIF) for the construction of a water supply system in its Sheldrake district.
The project involves building a 110-cubic metre drinking water reservoir along with a service building equipped with a chlorine treatment and pH control system, and installing a permanent well and water supply and distribution mains in the district concerned. These upgrades, which will directly serve some 100 local residents as well as a marine products processing plant, will ensure the supply and distribution of good quality drinking water in the area.
Completion of this project will necessitate a total eligible investment of $2,963,019 under component 1 of the MRIF. Accordingly, the Government of Quebec and Government of Canada will each contribute $1,407,434 toward this work, for a total of $2,814,868 in combined government funding, while the Municipality of Rivière-au-Tonnerre will assume $148,151 of the project's costs.
Rivière-au-Tonnerre Mayor Jeannot Boudreau said he is delighted that this project, which will result in improved community infrastructure and a better quality of life for local citizens, is to be carried out.
The Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund is a $390 million cost-sharing initiative of the Government of Quebec and the Government of Canada that is open to Quebec municipalities. With the financial participation of municipalities, this initiative could result in the execution of more than $576 million in infrastructure work. The objectives of the MRIF are to upgrade community infrastructure, improve the quality of the environment, promote long-term economic growth and enhance citizens' quality of life.
The program, which is in force until March 31, 2010, is administered by Quebec's Ministère des Affaires municipales et des Régions. Canada Economic Development is responsible for delivering the federal portion of the MRIF on behalf of the Government of Canada.
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Source:
Johanne Levesque
Communications Advisor
Communications Branch
Ministère des Affaires municipales et des Régions
514-873-6910
Information:
Jonathan Trudeau
Press Secretary
Office of the Deputy Premier and Ministre des Affaires municipales et des Régions
418-691-2050
Roxane Marchand
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Jean-Pierre Blackburn
Canada Economic Development
819-953-5646
613-816-5094
Jean Décary
Communications Advisor
Canada Economic Development
514-283-8818
