Matane, Quebec, December 18, 2009 – The Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of State for Canada Economic Development, today joined Claude Béchard, Member of the Quebec National Assembly for Kamouraska-Témiscouata, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Minister responsible for Canadian Intergovernmental Affairs and the Reform of Democratic Institutions, Deputy Government House Leader and Minister responsible for the Bas-Saint-Laurent region, acting on behalf of Laurent Lessard, Minister of Municipal Affairs, Regions and Land Occupancy, in announcing that the City of Matane will receive $1,271,112 in joint government financial assistance under the Communities Component of the Building Canada Fund – Quebec (FCCQ) to carry out major renovations on its SP-2 wastewater pumping station.
The project calls for a major overhaul of the City of Matane’s main sewage pumping station, SP-2, which intercepts close to half of all of the wastewater channelled to the treatment plant. The proposed work mainly involves enlarging the serving building, replacing the station’s three existing pumps, installing new electrical and mechanical equipment, adding new control and automation instruments and carrying out various complementary works. These upgrades will benefit some 8,100 people and help renew community infrastructure from a sustainable development standpoint.
“This project will benefit Matane’s residents and businesses alike. We are proud to be able to offer citizens the high level of quality of life that has become our country’s trademark. Indeed, the Government of Canada is committed to equipping every community with modern facilities to ensure citizens’ health and safety. The renewal of public infrastructure is part of a vast action plan that will enable our country to thrive and prosper in a healthy environment,” stated Minister of State Lebel.
“In supporting this project, the Government of Quebec is moving forward to ensure the province’s municipalities have infrastructure that suits their unique realities while fostering sustainable development. By injecting new capital into the Quebec Infrastructure Plan, our government is looking to accelerate the execution of numerous infrastructure projects throughout the province, like this one in Matane, in an effort to improve Quebecers’ well-being, create jobs and promote a high-performance economy. In this way, we are leaving the municipality a legacy of quality infrastructure with which to face the challenges of the future,” added Minister Béchard.
Completion of this project will necessitate an overall eligible investment of $1,906,668. The governments of Quebec and Canada will each contribute $635,556 toward the work, for a total of $1,271,112 in combined government funding, while the City of Matane will also invest $635,556 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 information on the Government of Quebec’s Quebec Infrastructure Plan, see www.infrastructures.gouv.qc.ca.
To find out more about the Building Canada Fund – Quebec or the process for submitting a funding application, visit www.buildingcanada-chantierscanada.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
Sylvain Bourassa
Press Secretary
Office of the Quebec Minister of Municipal Affairs, Regions and Land Occupancy
Tel.: 418-691-2050
Pascale Dumont-Bédard
Media Relations Officer for Bas-Saint-Laurent Office of the MNA for Kamouraska-Témiscouata
