Residents of Charlottetown will benefit from improvements to the city’s wastewater utilities, thanks to a combined investment from the Government of Canada, the Province of Prince Edward Island, and the City of Charlottetown.
The announcement was made today by Gerald Keddy, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), the Honourable Richard Brown, Minister of Development and Technology, and Stu MacFayden, Deputy Mayor of Charlottetown.
Funding worth more than $650,000 will improve the city’s wastewater utilities through the installation of ventilation and odour control systems at the Charlottetown Wastewater Treatment Plant, and upgrades to the Brighton Road and Beach Grove Road lift stations. These are made possible through the Canada-Prince Edward Island Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund (MRIF).
“The Government of Canada is pleased to invest in strategic infrastructure projects that keep our cities vibrant and strong,” said Gerald Keddy, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA). “Today's investment reflects our commitment to partner on initiatives that enhance the quality of life for all Islanders.”
“Water and wastewater treatment are important behind the scenes services that keep our province healthy, clean and comfortable,” said the Honourable Richard Brown, Minister of Development and Technology. “Infrastructure is the foundation of our quality of life, our economic progress, and our environmental sustainability. The projects we are announcing today will ensure that modern infrastructure is in place not only for residents of Charlottetown, but for our provincial Sludge Remediation Initiative.”
During the past two years, the City of Charlottetown Wastewater Treatment Plant upgraded its wastewater treatment capabilities and implemented Charlottetown’s portion of the Provincial Sludge Management Strategy, which includes septage receiving, dewatering, sludge pasteurization and ultraviolet disinfection.
The MRIF funding will support a thorough analysis of the current system as well as the design, building and installation of the required ventilation and odour control systems. A request for proposals will soon be issued by the city and work will begin immediately.
"With this financial assistance, the City will now promptly address the ventilation system and the resultant odour problem that has occurred in the area and significantly improve the air quality in the neighbourhood,” said Charlottetown Mayor Clifford Lee. “The funding will also allow the City to complete upgrades to the electrical and piping systems within these two lift stations and help alleviate the shutdowns that have taken place in the past. We appreciate the support from the federal and provincial governments to complete these projects."
Work will also soon begin to modernize the aging Brighton Road and Beach Grove Road lift stations, which service approximately 630 properties. In order to ensure reliable service, the mechanical systems, piping, valves and partial electrical systems of the stations will be upgraded and replaced.
The Canada-Prince Edward Island MRIF is administered by the PEI Department of Communities, Cultural Affairs and Labour and ACOA through the Canada-PEI Infrastructure Secretariat. Project costs are shared on a one-third basis between the federal, provincial and municipal governments. For more information about infrastructure initiatives in Prince Edward Island, visit www.infrastructure.gc.ca or www.gov.pe.ca/go/infrastructure.