$330,340 invested in Sutton to bring water treatment facilities up to standard

Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund (MRIF)

East Farnham, November 17, 2006 – Acting on behalf of Nathalie Normandeau, Quebec's Ministre des Affaires municipales et des Régions, Pierre Paradis, Member of the National Assembly for Brome-Missisquoi, and the Honourable Jean-Pierre Blackburn, Minister of Labour and Minister of Canada Economic Development, are pleased to announce that the City of Sutton will receive $165,170 in combined government funding under the Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund (MRIF).

This assistance will enable Sutton to bring its water treatment facilities up to standard. The work consists of adding an ultraviolet disinfection system to the Montagne sector filtration plant. This improvement will bring the municipality into compliance with the province's Règlement sur la qualité de l'eau potable (RQEP). The project will benefit some 2,900 residents.

Completion of this work will require a total investment of $330,340, eligible under Component 1 of the MRIF. The Government of Quebec and the Government of Canada will thus each contribute $82,585 toward the project, for a total of $165,170 in combined government funding, while the City of Sutton will contribute a matching amount of $165,170.

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:

Christine Poirier Laberge
Communications Advisor
Communications Branch
Ministère des Affaires municipales et des Régions
514-873-3687

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