Saint-Michel, Quebec, August 31, 2009 – Acting on behalf of Laurent Lessard, Quebec’s Ministre des Affaires municipales, des Régions et de l’Occupation du territoire, Stéphane Billette, Member of the National Assembly for Huntingdon, today joined Jacques Gourde, Member of Parliament for Lotbinière–Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, acting on behalf of the Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of State for Canada Economic Development, in announcing that the Municipality of Saint-Valentin will receive $1,891,230 in joint government assistance under the Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund (MRIF) for wastewater treatment.
The government funding will be used for the construction of a conventional gravity sewer system and a wastewater treatment plant. The project mainly involves laying roughly 1,250 metres of sewer lines, the construction of two pumping stations and their respective force mains as well as the construction of a wastewater facility. Directing benefiting some 200 local residents, these upgrades will help improve public health, safety and security, while renewing community infrastructure within a context of sustainable development.
Completion of this project will necessitate an overall eligible investment of $2,530,000 under component 1 of the MRIF. The governments of Quebec and Canada will each contribute $945,615 toward the work, for a total of $1,891,230 in combined government financial assistance, while the Municipality of Saint-Valentin will itself assume $638,770 of the project’s costs.
Saint-Valentin Mayor Yvon Landry said he is delighted with the governments’ support of this project which will help improve community infrastructure, further the development of the municipality and ensure greater well-being for the population.
The Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund is a cost-sharing initiative of the Government of Quebec and Government of Canada that makes $470 million in funding assistance available to Quebec municipalities and non-governmental organizations. With the financial participation of these communities and organizations, this initiative could result in the execution of more than $700 million in infrastructure work. The objectives of the MRIF are to improve community infrastructure, the quality of the environment and citizens’ quality of life, and to promote long-term economic growth.
The program, which is in force until March 31, 2010, is administered by Quebec’s Ministère des Affaires municipales, des Régions et de l’Occupation du territoire du Québec. Canada Economic Development is responsible for delivering the federal portion of the MRIF on behalf of the Government of Canada.
Amélie T. Vincent
Communications Advisor
Communications Branch
Ministère des Affaires municipales, des Régions et de l’Occupation du territoire
Tel.: 514 873-6403, ext. 6141
Sylvain Bourassa
Press Secretary
Office of the Ministre des Affaires municipales, des Régions et de l’Occupation du territoire
Tel.: 418-691-2050
Simon Bachand
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Denis Lebel
Canada Economic Development
Tel.: 613-996-6236
Catherine Vallée
Communications
Canada Economic Development
Tel.: 514-283-0368
