Lacombe, Alberta, Friday, September 27, 2013 – Today, the City of Lacombe is celebrating the completion of important rehabilitation work to underground water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure, as part of its 2013 Capital Works Program that will bring lasting benefits to its residents and businesses, thanks to Canada's Gas Tax Fund.
"Replacing the city's water mains, sanitary mains and stormwater runoff systems helps keep Lacombe a safe and liveable community,"
said Blaine Calkins, Member of Parliament for Wetaskiwin, on behalf of the Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of Infrastructure, Communities and Intergovernmental Affairs, and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec. "Our government is proud to have supported this initiative, which will ensure that residents of Lacombe can benefit from reliable water and wastewater infrastructure."
"The Government of Alberta is pleased to continue to work in co-operation with the federal government on funding programs that benefit Alberta communities,"
said Ric McIver, Minister of Alberta Transportation. "The upgrades to the City of Lacombe's water and wastewater system will have long-term benefits for residents, and support our government's priority of investing in families and communities. I congratulate the municipality on the successful completion of their 2013 Capital Works Program."
"These intergovernmental relationships and funding agreements are vital to the viability and long term sustainability of all Alberta communities,"
said Steve Christie Mayor of Lacombe. "The City of Lacombe is proud to continue the vital work of improving upon and expanding the infrastructure needs of our growing city, in partnership with all levels of government."
The projects celebrated today were the replacement of the stormwater and water mains on 52 Avenue from 50th Street to 49th Street, and the wastewater main on Woodland Drive from Cranna Lakes Drive to the Calgary Edmonton Trail.
The City of Lacombe used $597,205.50 of its federal Gas Tax Fund allocation towards these three projects, and contributed $199,068.50 toward the total cost of $796,274.
The federal Gas Tax Fund provides long-term funding to municipalities across the country to build and revitalize their local infrastructure. The Government of Canada has invested over $10 billion to date in municipal infrastructure through this program, and passed legislation to make it a permanent transfer of $2 billion per year. In Alberta, the program currently provides over $199.5 million of predictable, long-term funding annually to help municipalities build and revitalize public infrastructure. As part of Economic Action Plan 2013, the Government committed to index the Gas Tax Fund to provide additional funding for communities, starting in 2014.
Canada's Economic Action Plan 2013 is delivering a New Building Canada Plan to build roads, bridges, subways, commuter rail, and other public infrastructure in cooperation with provinces, territories, and municipalities. Thanks to the Government of Canada's leadership and our strong economic and financial fundamentals, the Canadian economy has recovered from the global recession better than most other industrialized countries. Canada has been a leader among G-7 countries throughout the recovery with more than one million net new jobs created since July 2009. The new Building Canada Plan, combined with other federal infrastructure investments, supports Canada's infrastructure advantage, a key enabler of economic growth and job creation.
For additional information about federal investments in infrastructure visit Infrastructure Canada or follow us on Twitter at @INFC_eng.
Marie-Josée Paquette
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Infrastructure, Communities and Intergovernmental Affairs and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec
613-943-1838
John Lear
Communications
Alberta Transportation
780-422-7080
Deven Kumar
Communications Coordinator
City of Lacombe
Office: 403 782-1236
dkumar@lacombe.ca
Infrastructure Canada
613-960-9251 or toll-free 1-877-250-7154
