Residents of Kensington will benefit from innovative, energy-sufficient wastewater treatment thanks to the purchase of a wind turbine for the local wastewater treatment plant. The Honourable Gail Shea, Canada’s Minister of Fisheries and Oceans and Regional Minister for Prince Edward Island, and the Honourable Carolyn Bertram, Minister of Communities, Cultural Affairs and Labour for Prince Edward Island, joined Kensington Deputy Mayor Rodney Mann this afternoon for the official commissioning of Kensington’s new energy-efficient wind turbine for the local wastewater treatment plant.
“The Government of Canada, under the leadership of Prime Minister Stephen Harper, is taking action to speed up infrastructure projects to build a stronger economy and a healthier environment,” said Minister Shea. “This gas tax announcement shows how we are working together with our partners to get shovels in the ground, to plan for future infrastructure needs, and to deliver real results to the people of Prince Edward Island.
“Renewable energy is just one example of how the Government of Prince Edward Island is supporting our One Island Community. Investment in green energy is an investment in the health, safety and sustainability of our communities,” said Minister Bertram. “The new turbine at the Kensington Waste Treatment Plant will help reduce the Town’s environmental impact and its energy bills. The Province is proud to support environmentally responsible power such as this.”
The turbine, funded in part by the Canada-Prince Edward Island Gas Tax Agreement, will generate environmentally sustainable electricity for the Kensington wastewater treatment plant. The turbine, constructed in late spring 2009, was the first municipally-owned turbine to be erected in the province and, according to Kensington officials, they are the first community in Canada with a wind-powered wastewater utility.
Funding of $265,000 was provided by the Canada-Prince Edward Island Gas Tax Agreement for the purchase of the wind turbine. Total project costs amounted to $531,000, with the balance funded by the Town of Kensington.
“This wind turbine will provide the community as a whole with a unique educational opportunity to learn about the importance of alternative energy sources and energy conservation,” said Deputy Mayor Mann. “It is our hope and anticipation that this project will position Kensington as a leader in wider community efforts to promote and support clean energy and energy independence.”
The governments of Canada and Prince Edward Island recognize that for municipalities to remain competitive and prosperous, they need stable long-term funding. As of April 2009, the federal Gas Tax Fund increased to $2 billion per year. Prince Edward Island will receive $88.5 million in Gas Tax Funds by 2014. The Government of Canada has announced that the Gas Tax Fund would become a permanent measure at $2 billion per year after 2014. In addition, the Government of Canada’s Economic Action Plan is accelerating and expanding existing federal investments in infrastructure stimulus funding over the next two years.
The Province of Prince Edward Island has committed to strengthening our One Island Community. Through various infrastructure initiatives, the province has committed over $80 million to community infrastructure projects. For more information on infrastructure programs in Prince Edward Island, visit www.gov.pe.ca/go/infrastructure.
For more information on federal infrastructure investments, visit www.creatingjobs.gc.ca.
For further information about Canada’s Economic Action Plan, visit www.actionplan.gc.ca.