Saint-Jérôme, Quebec, December 4, 2012 – The Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, and Sylvain Gaudreault, Quebec Minister of Municipal Affairs, Regions and Land Occupancy, Minister of Transport and Member of the National Assembly for Jonquière, took the opportunity of the completion of upgrades on the Saint-Jérôme water filtration plant to note that the project received $6,000,000 in government financial assistance through the Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund (MRIF).
“The Government of Canada hails the completion of this work, which will ensure the well-being of the population of Saint-Jérôme. Infrastructure projects improve citizens’ quality of life in a tangible and sustainable way while contributing to the economic development and vitality of the regions,”
said Minister Lebel.
“I am very pleased about the conclusion of this major water infrastructure project in Saint-Jérôme, an initiative that will promote the health and well-being of the city’s residents. The Government of Quebec recognizes the importance of renovating and replacing water facilities in Quebec municipalities to ensure the population access to quality public services, in this case drinking water, which is a basic right and essential service for all,”
added Minister Gaudreault.
The aim of the project was to bring the Saint-Jérôme water filtration plant into compliance with the requirements of Quebec’s drinking water regulations, the Règlement sur la qualité de l’eau potable (RQEP). The work included installing an ultraviolet water disinfection system, increasing the capacity of the drinking water reserve, and carrying out various complementary works. These major upgrades will allow the City of Saint-Jérôme to offer its citizens better drinking water and improved quality of life.
These upgrades necessitated an overall investment of $12,000,000 under component 1 of the MRIF. The Government of Quebec and Government of Canada each contributed $3,000,000 toward the work, for a total of $6,000,000 in combined government funding.
The Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund was a $470 million cost-sharing initiative of the Government of Quebec and the Government of Canada open to Quebec municipalities. With the financial participation of municipalities, more than $700 million in infrastructure work was carried out under the initiative. The MRIF’s objectives included upgrading community infrastructure, improving the quality of the environment, enhancing citizens’ quality of life and promoting long-term economic growth.
The program, which was to be in force until March 31, 2010, was extended to March 31, 2013, to allow completion of the projects in progress. The program is administered by Quebec’s Department of Municipal Affairs, Regions and Land Occupancy. Canada Economic Development is responsible for delivering the federal portion of the MRIF on behalf of the Government of Canada.
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