The Alberta government announced funding for infrastructure projects in rural and small municipalities throughout the province on July 20.
“With the summer now in full swing, the construction season is well underway across the province,” said Minister of Transportation Prasad Panda during the announcement.
“I'm pleased to announce that the Government of Alberta is providing a total of $86.1 million in grants to municipalities to support 70 local infrastructure projects across the province.”
The total cost of these projects is more than $184 million, he said.
“Municipalities are also doing their share of heavy lifting.”
Of the provincial total, more than $58.7 million is being allocated from the Water for Life and the Alberta Municipal Water/Wastewater Partnership (AMWWP) grant programs. Funding will go towards 33 projects to improve water and wastewater services and access to clean drinking water for rural communities.
Minister Panda said $36.2 million from the Water for Life progam will support nine projects, including a water supply pipeline for Foothills County and Okotoks that was announced today.
From the AMWWP, $22.5 million is being provided for 24 water infrastructure projects. Projects include a new water treatment plant and capacity upgrade in Canmore, a wastewater lagoon upgrade in Valleyview and new wells and a water connection in Sylvan Lake.
“Having reliable access to clean drinking water and efficient modern wastewater treatment systems is essential to the health, well being and economic development of our communities,” Panda said.
In addition, $27.4 million from the Strategic Transportation Infrastructure Program (STIP) will provide $27.4 million in grants to rural and small urban municipalities to build and maintain roads, bridges and community airports. The funding will support 45 projects that will generate 210 new jobs.
Approved initiatives under STIP include improving resource roads in Cypress County and industrial access roads in High Level, replacing culverts in Parkland County and paving the runway at the Valleyview Airport.
“We know these investments are sound because municipalities looked at their list of priorities and told us what projects are most critical to their communities,” said Panda.
Combined, these projects are expected to create over 1,000 jobs.
