Saint-Léon-de-Standon, December 17, 2007 Nathalie Normandeau, Deputy Premier of Quebec and Ministre des Affaires municipales et des Régions, and Steven Blaney, Member of Parliament for Lévis-Bellechasse, acting on behalf of the Honourable Jean-Pierre Blackburn, Minister of Labour and Minister of Canada Economic Development, today announced that the Municipality of Saint-Léon-de-Standon will receive $235,686 in combined government funding under the Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund (MRIF) to bring its drinking water supply system up to standard.
This assistance will be used to, among other things, install a chlorination disinfection system, monitoring and control equipment and a telemetry system. The project also calls for the construction of a new washwater treatment and disposal system, along with various upgrades to the water reservoir. Together, all of this work, which will directly benefit some 680 local residents, will help improve the quality of the drinking water and ensure the more efficient management of the municipal water supply system.
Completion of this project will necessitate a total eligible investment of $471,370 under component 1 of the MRIF. The Government of Quebec and Government of Canada will each contribute $117,843 toward these improvements, for a combined total of $235,686 in government funding, while the Municipality of Saint-Léon-de-Standon will assume $235,684 of the project's costs.
Saint-Léon-de-Standon Mayor Bernard Morin said he is delighted that this project, which is seen as a priority for the development of the municipality and well-being of its local population, will be carried out.
The Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund is a cost-sharing initiative of the Government of Quebec and Government of Canada. The recent injection of an additional $80 million into component 3 of the MRIF brings to $470 million the total amount of financial assistance available to Quebec municipalities and organizations under the Fund. With the financial participation of the municipalities and organizations, this initiative could result in the execution of more than $700 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
Jean-Philippe Payment
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Jean-Pierre Blackburn
Canada Economic Development
819-953-5646
Jean Décary
Communications Advisor
Canada Economic Development
514-283-2634
