Gas Tax funding will provide new supply main and treatment
Lillooet, British Columbia, July 6, 2011 – The District of Lillooet will expand its supply of safe, clean drinking water thanks to over $4.5 million from the federal Gas Tax Fund. Mark Strahl, Member of Parliament for Chilliwack-Fraser Canyon, Minister Ida Chong, and Lillooet Mayor Dennis Bontron celebrated this special occasion on Wednesday.
“Our Government recognizes the importance of safe, clean, and reliable wastewater infrastructure,” said MP Strahl, on behalf of the Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities. “Through programs like the federal Gas Tax Fund, we are supporting environmentally sustainable infrastructure that contributes to cleaner air, cleaner water and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.”
The new funding will provide an immediate increase to the water supply in advance of the 2011 fire season. The first project to benefit from this new funding will see the construction of new wells at Seton Fan, a high lift pumping and UV treatment station, a water supply main, and the installation of water meters for all properties in the municipality. This project is the first phase of a larger project to improve the supply and treatment of Lillooet’s water.
“It’s good to see the Gas Tax Fund supporting these important water system upgrades that mean so much to the residents of the Lillooet area and are part of a larger plan to secure its drinking water system for the future,” said Ida Chong, B.C. Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development. “The British Columbia Government is pleased to participate in this agreement, which is making a positive difference to B.C. families and their communities.”
“Funding for Phase 1 of our water project will allow Lillooet to develop new drinking water sources and invest funding for job creation in our local economy,” said Lillooet Mayor Dennis Bontron. “We are grateful to senior levels of government and the UBCM for this opportunity.”
Following the completion of this project, Lillooet plans to construct a new intake to draw water from the BC Hydro Canal intake along with an additional filtration plant and lift station.
The District of Lillooet also unveiled today another project that was recently completed thanks to $467,000 from the federal Gas Tax Fund. The new wood-burning boilers at the Lillooet Community Centre will reduce the use of propane by approximately 87%, or between 104,000 and 120,000 litres, annually. The project uses a wood burning boiler system that incorporates the industry’s most advanced combustion technology. The total cost of the project was $602,000, with the remainder of funds provided by the District of Lillooet.
The Gas Tax Fund is a tripartite agreement between Canada, British Columbia and UBCM that delivers infrastructure funding to local governments primarily for capital projects that lead to cleaner air, cleaner water or reduced greenhouse gas emissions. UBCM administers the Gas Tax Fund in B.C. in collaboration with Canada and British Columbia.
“Many communities in BC are facing steep costs to replace aging infrastructure,” said UBCM President Barbara Steele. “By transferring federal revenues to local priorities, the Gas Tax Fund is accelerating the replacement and upgrading of vital community services.”
For further information on the Government of Canada’s infrastructure investments in British Columbia, visit www.creatingjobs.gc.ca. To learn more about Canada’s Economic Action Plan, visit www.actionplan.gc.ca.
For more information:
Vanessa Schneider
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities
613-991-0700
Gillian Rhodes
Communications Manager
Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development
250-356-6334
Paul Taylor
Relationships and Communications Advisor
UBCM
250-356-2938
Jerry Sucharyna
Economic Development Officer
District of Lillooet
250-256-4289
Infrastructure Canada
613-948-1148
OR Toll-Free 1-877-250-7154
