Federal funds will also help protect groundwater in the Cowichan Valley Regional District
Ladysmith, British Columbia, March 23, 2012 – Recycling in the Cowichan Valley Regional District will receive a boost thanks to the redevelopment of a former municipal solid waste collection site into a state-of the art, user-friendly recycling drop-off centre.
As communities in the northern part of the District continue to grow, so do their infrastructure needs. The Government of Canada is helping the District meet these needs through a $950,000 investment from the Gas Tax Fund. The Peerless Road project has two main goals: First, to upgrade and expand the existing recycling depot; second, to clean up 40,000 tonnes of toxic ash produced by the now decommissioned incinerator to protect local residents, waterways and the environment.
"This project will help protect groundwater, while creating jobs and supporting growth in the Cowichan Valley Regional District,"
said Dr. James Lunney, MP for Nanaimo-Alberni, on behalf of the Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities. "Our government is proud to deliver permanent, annual infrastructure funding for municipalities through Canada's Gas Tax Fund, providing greater certainty and flexibility for communities to choose their local infrastructure priorities."
"We are excited about the opportunity to clean up a brownfield site and create a facility that will be considered a flag ship in waste collection and recycling as we move towards our goal of zero waste for the region,"
said Rob Hutchins, Cowichan Valley Regional District Board Chair and Mayor of Ladysmith. "Our vision is a state of the art facility-- community oriented, convenient and educational, so people fully understand what is required to reduce our waste and make it easier for them to recycle."
"Moving towards more sustainable ways of dealing with waste will support the long term growth of the region in an environmentally responsible way,"
said Ida Chong, Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development. "As a signatory to the BC Climate Action Charter, the Cowichan Valley Regional District is making significant improvements that will also assist them in meeting their commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions."
Canada's Gas Tax Fund provides stable, long-term funding to local governments and other organizations to help them build and revitalize public infrastructure. This program primarily supports capital projects such as local roads, public transit, energy systems and waste management infrastructure that lead to cleaner air, cleaner water or reduced greenhouse gas emissions. The Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) administers the Gas Tax Fund in BC in collaboration with Canada and British Columbia. On December 15, 2011, the Government of Canada passed legislation to make the Gas Tax Fund a permanent annual investment of $2 billion.
"BC residents are looking for recycling options and want to minimize the impact of landfills on the environment,"
said UBCM President Heath Slee. "These federal funds provide a lift to the CVRD as they renew and update the Peerless Road facility."
For further information on the Government of Canada's infrastructure investments in British Columbia, visit www.infrastructure.gc.ca. To learn more about Canada's Economic Action Plan, visit www.actionplan.gc.ca.
For more information:
Geneviève Sicard
Office of the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities
613-991-0700
Jeff Rud
Communications Director
Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development
250-208-4028
Paul Taylor
Relationships and Communications Advisor
UBCM
250-356-2938
Kim Van Bruggen, APR
CVRD Communications
Acumen Communications Group
250-727-7464
Infrastructure Canada
613-960-9251
Toll free: 1-877-250-7154
