The Community of Borden-Carleton will soon begin construction of a new well and water system building through funding assistance from the Canada-Prince Edward Island Infrastructure Program. The Governments of Canada and Prince Edward Island will each contribute $109,333 to the total project cost of $328,000.
This investment in "green" and rural community infrastructure was announced today by the Honourable Wayne Easter, Solicitor General of Canada and Member of Parliament for Malpeque, on behalf of the Honourable Gerry Byrne, Minister of State for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA); Mr. Eric Hammill, MLA for Borden-Kinkora, on behalf of the Honourable Elmer MacFadyen, Minister of Community and Cultural Affairs for Prince Edward Island; and John Bernard, Chairman of the Community of Borden-Carleton.
"The Government of Canada is committed to improving the standard of living for Canadians by investing in green municipal infrastructure. Through the Canada-Prince Edward Island Infrastructure Program, we are supporting projects designed to improve our environment and support the sustainable growth of our rural communities," said Minister Easter. "This project in Borden-Carleton will bring immediate benefits to community residents and businesses, including improved water quantity and quality."
"This funding will assist the community of Borden-Carleton in meeting its domestic and emergency water requirements. Upgrades to the current water system are necessary in enabling the community to provide safe water for its residents," says Mr. Hammill. "The Canada-Prince Edward Island Infrastructure Agreement is committed to supporting ‘green' projects which contribute to the health and safety of Islanders, and this initiative in Borden-Carleton will help us achieve our goal."
The new well and pump building will include controls and standby disinfection equipment to ensure a supply of clean and safe drinking water for the community. The upgrades will also provide the necessary additional water flow to assist the local fire department in responding to fire and other emergency situations.
"Our community identified this project as a priority in providing residents with a safe water supply while ensuring the necessary infrastructure is in place for dealing with our emergency water requirements," says John Bernard, Chairman of the Community of Borden-Carleton.
The first priority of the Canada-Prince Edward Island Infrastructure Program is green municipal infrastructure to ensure effective wastewater management systems and safe drinking water. This project in Borden-Carleton will support the program in achieving the goal of investing at least 60 per cent of program funds in green municipal infrastructure projects and at least 46 per cent in rural areas across the province.
The Canada-Prince Edward Island Infrastructure Program provides up to two-thirds of the eligible costs of community infrastructure projects. Communities provide the remaining one-third of project costs, making the program a unique partnership among all three levels of government, with infrastructure investments of more than $38 million in PEI over five years. The program is administered by ACOA and the PEI Department of Community and Cultural Affairs. The Federation of PEI Municipalities is an ex-officio member of the program's management committee.