Hudson, Quebec, November 22, 2010 – The Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of State for Canada Economic Development, today joined Yvon Marcoux, Member of the Quebec National Assembly for Vaudreuil and Vice-chair of the Committee on Public Administration, acting on behalf of Laurent Lessard, Minister of Municipal Affairs, Regions and Land Occupancy and Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, in announcing that the City of Hudson will receive an additional $2,179,744 in joint government financial assistance for wastewater treatment and drinking water supply infrastructure works. This latest assistance brings to $16,256,900 the total amount of government funding to the project through the Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund (MRIF).
The project in the City of Hudson mainly involves wastewater collection, catchment and treatment in the central and Bellevue-Sanderson-Parsons sectors, as well as drinking water supply and distribution. In addition, work carried out on Cameron Street involved the installation of a telemetry pipeline and a force main to transport filter backwash wastewater.
Completion of this project necessitated an overall eligible investment of $23,453,444 under component 1 of the MRIF. The governments of Quebec and Canada have now each contributed $8,128,450 toward the work, for a total of $16,256,900 in combined government funding, with the City of Hudson investing the remaining $7,196,544 of the project's costs.
"As today's announcement confirms, the Government of Canada is lending its financial assistance, and in some cases upping this assistance, to municipalities that need to bring their infrastructure into compliance with the principles of sustainable development for the sake of a modern and prosperous economy," explained Minister of State Lebel.
"This additional funding to the City of Hudson illustrates the Government of Quebec's commitment to improving community infrastructure in a very tangible and sustainable way," added MNA Yvon Marcoux.
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 available to Quebec municipalities and non-governmental organizations. With the financial participation of these 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 improve community infrastructure, the quality of the environment and citizens' quality of life, and to promote long-term economic growth.
The MRIF comes under the responsibility of the Quebec Department of Municipal Affairs, Regions and Land Occupancy, with Canada Economic Development delivering the federal portion of the program on behalf of the Government of Canada.
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Sources:
Benoît Fortin
Special Assistant, Communications
Office of the Honourable Denis Lebel
Canada Economic Development
Tel.: 819-997-3319
Sylvain Bourassa
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Municipal Affairs, Regions and Land Occupancy and Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
Tel.: 418-691-2050
Caroline Saint-Pierre
Communications Branch
Department of Municipal Affairs, Regions and Land Occupancy
Tel.: 418-691-2015
Odette Lalonde
Political Attaché
Office of the MNA for Vaudreuil
Tel.: 450-424-6666
