Investment of $5,060,000 in Saint-Urbain-Premier for wastewater collection and treatment

Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund (MRIF)

Saint-Urbain-Premier, November 17, 2006 – Acting on behalf of Nathalie Normandeau, Quebec's Ministre des Affaires municipales et des Régions, André Chenail, Member of the National Assembly for Huntingdon, today joined the Honourable Michael M Fortier, Minister of Public Works and Government Services and Minister responsible for the Montreal Region, acting on behalf of the Honourable Jean-Pierre Blackburn, Minister of Labour and Minister of Canada Economic Development, in announcing that the Municipality of Saint-Urbain-Premier will receive $3,613,500 in government assistance under the Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund (MRIF).

The project consists of installing a wastewater collection and treatment system in the urbanized sector of the municipality. The planned collection work involves the laying of some 3,605 metres of sanitary sewer lines along several streets, the construction of three secondary pumping stations, including force mains, and the construction of 138 sanitary sewer service connections.

The sewage interception and treatment work consists of the construction of a main pumping station, with a force main of about 400 metres connecting the pumping station to the new treatment plant which consists of two aerated ponds. The project also includes the construction of new buildings and various complementary work. These new facilities will benefit some 360 residents.

Completion of this work will necessitate a total investment of $5,060,000, eligible under Component 1 of the MRIF. The Government of Quebec and the Government of Canada will thus each contribute $1,806,750 toward the project, for a total of $3,613,500 in combined government funding, while the Municipality of Saint-Urbain-Premier will assume $1,446,500 of the project's costs.

The Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund is a $390 million cost-sharing initiative of the Government of Quebec and the Government of Canada to help finance municipal infrastructure projects in Quebec. With the financial participation of municipalities, this initiative could result in investments of nearly $576 million for infrastructure work in the province. The objectives of the MRIF are to upgrade community infrastructure, improve the quality of the environment, promote long-term economic growth and enhance citizens' quality of life.

Implementation of the MRIF in Quebec is the result of a joint agreement signed by the Government of Quebec and the Government of Canada in July 2005. The program, which is in force until March 31, 2010, is administered by Quebec's Ministère des Affaires municipales et des Régions. Canada Economic Development is responsible for delivering the federal portion of the MRIF on behalf of the Government of Canada.

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Source:

Johanne Levesque
Communications Advisor
Communications Branch
Ministère des Affaires Municipales et des Régions
514-873-6910

Information:

Jonathan Trudeau
Press Secretary
Office of the Ministre des Affaires municipales et des Régions
418-691-2050

Roxane Marchand
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Jean-Pierre Blackburn
Canada Economic Development
819-953-5646
613-816-5094

Nadja Raphaël
Communications Advisor
Canada Economic Development
514-283-2634