Deschaillons-sur-Saint-Laurent, Quebec, October 2, 2009 – The Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of State for Canada Economic Development, today joined Laurent Lessard, Quebec Minister of Municipal Affairs, Regions and Land Occupancy and Minister responsible for the Centre-du-Québec Region, in announcing that the City of Deschaillons-sur-Saint-Laurent will receive $140,500 in joint government funding under the Communities component of the Building Canada Fund – Quebec for infrastructure work to repair its drinking water supply system.
The municipality will upgrade some the equipment at its drinking water production plant and add new equipment to enhance its performance. The existing fire pump is showing signs of wear and the taps, pipes and peripheral equipment are deemed unsafe and obsolete. The domestic pumps, valves and underdrain system have reached their end of life. The addition of control equipment will further improve the efficiency of the drinking water distribution system.
“Once this work is complete, the drinking water distribution system will be safer and more functional and will better meet the needs of Deschaillons-sur-Saint-Laurent residents. Our communities across the country need to be able to rely on quality public infrastructure to ensure their growth and development and to better face the challenges ahead. That is why the Government of Canada is proud to join forces with the Government of Quebec in providing tangible support to a wide range of projects dedicated to improving infrastructure that is essential to the well-being of our communities. True to its commitment, our government will contribute, through the Building Canada Fund, more than $1.9 billion toward infrastructure projects in Quebec alone,” stated Minister of State Denis Lebel.
”In supporting this major project, the Government of Quebec is moving forward to ensure that the province’s municipalities have infrastructure that suits their unique realities while fostering sustainable development, a key element of any modern, wealth-building economy. By injecting new capital into the Quebec Infrastructure Plan, our government is looking to accelerate the execution of numerous infrastructure projects throughout the province in an effort to improve the well-being of Quebecers, create jobs and promote a high-performance economy. Our government wants to leave Quebec municipalities a legacy of quality infrastructure with which to face the challenges of the future,” added Minister Lessard.
Completion of this project will necessitate an overall eligible investment of $281,000. The governments of Quebec and Canada will each contribute $70,250 toward the work, for a total of $140,500 in combined government funding, while the Municipality of Deschaillons-sur-Saint-Laurent will, for its part, invest $140,500 in the project.
The Communities component of the Building Canada Fund – Quebec is a cost-sharing initiative aimed at funding infrastructure projects in communities with fewer than 100,000 inhabitants. These communities are thus able to use this assistance to improve infrastructure that is in major need of revitalization, including water treatment plants, water supply systems and cultural and sports centres.
An unprecedented funding commitment on the part of the Government of Canada, the Building Canada Fund – Quebec provides stable and predictable funding to support infrastructure projects. In Quebec, nearly $4 billion will be allocated to that end.
The contribution from the Government of Canada has been awarded through Canada’s Economic Action Plan. To learn more about this plan, visit www.actionplan.gc.ca
For further details on the Building Canada Fund – Quebec or the process for submitting a funding application, see www.buildingcanada.gc.ca and www.mamrot.gouv.qc.ca.
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Sources:
Simon Bachand
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Denis Lebel
Canada Economic Development
Tel.: 613-996-6236
François Bélisle
Communications
Canada Economic Development
Tel.: 819-825-5260, ext. 235
Sylvain Bourassa
Press Secretary
Office of the Quebec Minister of Municipal Affairs, Regions and Land Occupancy
Tel.: 418-691-2050
Communications Branch
Department of Municipal Affairs, Regions and Land Occupancy of Quebec
Tel.: 514-873-6910
