Building Communities

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 20 FEBRUARY 2009

OTTAWA – Communities in the riding of Battlefords-Lloydminster and throughout Saskatchewan are benefitting today from $95 million in joint government infrastructure funding announced under the Building Canada Fund.

“I’m pleased that in my constituency over $7.9 million is being invested in five water, road and sewer improvement projects that will not only strengthen infrastructure but also the economy, through job creation, at a time when it’s most needed,” says Battlefords-Lloydminster MP and Minister of Agriculture, Gerry Ritz.

The funding comes through the Communities component of Building Canada, earmarked for communities with populations of fewer than 100,000 people. It’s a cost-sharing agreement between the governments of Canada and Saskatchewan with local municipalities also contributing their share. In this round of funding, the federal commitment to Battlefords-Lloydminster amounts to over $2.6 million.

“By working together we can move forward quickly on shovel-ready projects including road construction and improvements in Lloydminster, Britannia and Wilton, sewer renewal in Unity and a water infrastructure project in Mervin,” said Ritz.

These projects are among 46 in the province that will break ground soon as part of targeted, accelerated infrastructure projects during the 2009 and 2010 construction seasons.

“And the best news is that this is only a start. Smaller communities have the opportunity to apply under the second intake of the program which will be launched shortly,” said Ritz.

For more information on the Building Canada plan, visit www.buildingcanada.gc.ca

Location	Project Description	Description of project	Total Project Cost	Federal	Provincial	Municipal
Lloydminster, Saskatchewan	Arterial Road Construction & Rehabilitation	To rehabilitate an existing street in order to designate it as a Truck/Dangerous Goods Route on the Saskatchewan side of this border City.	3,392,708	1,130,902	1,130,902	1,130,904
Sunset View Beach (RM of Mervin), Saskatchewan	Hamlet of Sunset View Beach- New WTP	To build a water treatment plant to meet new Provincial water quality standards plus provide additional treated water storage.	968,100	322,700	322,700	322,700
Unity	Sanitary Sewer Renewal Project	This project for the Town of Unity will include replacing the main sewage lift station (SLS), decommissioning the existing lift station, reconstructing and rerouting the sewer main and constructing a new forcemain.   The existing lift station is at the end of its useful life.  When complete, this project will reduce the risk of sewer failure and contribute to the development of the Town of Unity.	980,000	326,667	326,667	326,666
RM of Britannia	Greenstreet Road	This project in the RM of Britannia will reconstruct 5.5 kms of grid road, known as the Greenstreet Road. The RM is experiencing increased heavy haul traffic related to heavy oil operations. Upgrades to Greenstreet Road include reducing the grade, strengthening the subgrade and resurfacing. The rehabilitated road will help centralize heavy haul trucking related to the oil and gas industry and will foster economic development in the region.	1,504,650	501,550	501,550	501,550
RM of Wilton	Road Strengthening and Surfacing	This project for the RM of Wilton will reconstruct 3.3 kms of road immediately north of the Town of Lashburn. Upgrades include strengthening the subgrade and applying a seal coat resulting in a wider, smoother surface. The upgrade will create a more efficient, integrated transportation network and will support heavy haul traffic to the nearby Lloydminster Heavy Oil Upgrader facility.	1,111,480	370,493	370,493	370,494

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For more information call the office of Hon. Gerry Ritz 613-992-9703