News Releases and Media Advisories
10 November 2011
SAINT JOHN, New Brunswick - Representatives from the federal, provincial and municipal governments today marked an important milestone in the Saint John Harbour Clean-Up project, with the official opening of the Eastern Wastewater Treatment Facility. MP Rodney Weston, on behalf of the Honourable Bernard Valcourt, Minister of State for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) and La Francophonie, and the Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, Trevor Holder, Minister of Tourism and Parks and His Worship Ivan Court, Mayor of Saint John, were on hand for the event.
“Our Government has been working together with provincial and municipal governments to deliver results to the people of New Brunswick through important improvements and upgrades to municipal infrastructure,” said MP Weston. “Our federal investment through the Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund will make a real difference in Saint John by strengthening local infrastructure, improving the quality of life, and helping our economy.”
“The Eastern Waste Water Treatment Facility is a great example of the partnership and collaboration that make New Brunswick such a great place to be,” said Tourism and Parks Minister Trevor Holder. “This project will contribute to the quality of life for residents in the city and will support future growth as our region and our province continue to prosper.”
The Harbour Clean Up initiative is a series of projects to redirect old sewer pipes that currently empty into the harbour to a new wastewater treatment facility. Part of the project is the construction of the Eastern Waste Water Treatment Facility. This new facility will help Saint John reach its objective of 100% treatment of collected municipal wastewater and elimination of all raw sewage into the harbour.
“With the completion of the Eastern Waste Water Treatment Facility, Saint John is positioned as a leader in Atlantic Canada, with three water treatment facilities meeting its environmental protection obligations,” said Mayor Court. “With the support of both the federal and provincial governments, the Saint John Harbour Clean-Up Program shows the environmental leadership required to protect our harbour, the gateway to the Bay of Fundy.”
In 2007, Infrastructure Canada signed an agreement with the City of Saint John under the Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund to upgrade the City’s waste water treatment system. Under CSIF, the Government of Canada’ contribution to the Saint John Harbour Clean-Up project was $26.6 million. The Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency is responsible for managing the funding on behalf of Infrastructure Canada. The Province of New Brunswick and the City of Saint John also invested $26.6 million in this initiative. FOR BROADCAST USE:
Representatives from the federal, provincial and municipal governments today marked an important milestone in the Saint John Harbour Clean Up project, with the official opening of the Eastern Waste Water Treatment Facility. MP Rodney Weston, on behalf of the Honourable Bernard Valcourt, Minister of State (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency) and La Francophonie, and the Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, Trevor Holder, Minister of Tourism and Parks and his Worship Ivan Court, Mayor of Saint John, were on hand of the event.
The Eastern Waste Water Treatment Facility is a key element of the Saint John Harbour Clean up initiative, a project to eliminate raw sewage in the harbour. The Government of Canada, the Province of New Brunswick and the City of Saint John have each contributed $26.6 million to the project.
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INFORMATION:
Andrea Richer
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Bernard Valcourt
613-790-3637
Peggy Belanger
Senior Communications Officer
ACOA, NB Region
506-452-2466
Tyler Campbell
Communications Director
Investment New Brunswick
506-453-8420
Leah Fitzgerald
City of Saint John
Communications Officer
506-648-3714
