Canada-Quebec investment of $1,355,406 in City of Val-d’Or for extension of the municipal water system
Building Canada Fund – Quebec, Communities Component
Val-d’Or, Quebec, February 26, 2010 – The Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of State for Canada Economic Development, today joined Pierre Corbeil, Quebec Minister responsible for Aboriginal Affairs, Minister responsible for the Abitibi-Témiscamingue and Nord-du-Québec Regions and Member of the National Assembly for Abitibi-Est, acting on behalf of Laurent Lessard, Minister of Municipal Affairs, Regions and Land Occupancy, in announcing that the City of Val-d’Or will receive $1,355,406 in joint government financial assistance under the Communities Component of the Building Canada Fund – Quebec to extend its water system.
The project involves extending Val-d’Or’s water system over a distance of 1.8 km along 3rd Avenue West to Mine-École Road. The installation and connection of water mains to the municipal water system will enable the City of Val-d’Or to provide local residents with a reliable and safe supply of drinking water.
“Val-d’Or’s project to extend its water system will directly benefit the city’s residents and businesses. In supporting this project, we are seeing to it that the population enjoys the high quality of life for which our country is famous. Indeed, the Government of Canada is committed to equipping every community with modern facilities and equipment to ensure citizens’ health and safety. The renewal of public infrastructure is part of a broad action plan that will enable us to thrive and prosper in a healthy environment,” stated Minister of State Lebel.
“By participating in this project, the Government of Quebec is moving forward to ensure the province’s municipalities have infrastructure that meets their unique realities while fostering sustainable development. Val-d’Or’s project will enhance the wellbeing of residents in the sector who were having problems with the supply and quality of their drinking water. As well, it will provide the city with quality infrastructure, including new fire hydrants for better fire protection,” added Minister Pierre Corbeil.
Completion of this project will necessitate an overall eligible investment of $2,033,110. The governments of Quebec and Canada will each contribute $677,703 toward the work, for a total of $1,355,406 in combined government funding, while the City of Val‑d’Or will assume the remaining third, or $677,704, of the project’s costs.
The Communities Component of the Building Canada Fund – Quebec is a cost-sharing initiative aimed at funding infrastructure projects in communities with fewer than 100,000 inhabitants. These communities are thus able to use this assistance to improve infrastructure that is in major need of revitalization, including water treatment plants, water supply systems and cultural and sports centres.
For provinces, like Quebec, that have committed all of their funding under the Communities Component, the Government of Canada’s Economic Action Plan provides for up to $500 million in additional funding for projects that will be completed by March 31, 2011.
In Quebec, a joint federal-provincial contribution of $232 million will be used to fund 106 infrastructure projects.
The contribution from the Government of Canada has been awarded through Canada’s Economic Action Plan. To learn more about this plan, visit www.actionplan.gc.ca.
For further information on the Government of Quebec’s Quebec Infrastructure Plan, see www.infrastructures.gouv.qc.ca.
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Sources:
Simon Bachand
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Denis Lebel
Canada Economic Development
Tel.: 613-996-6236
Hélène Sauvageau
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister responsible for Aboriginal Affairs, Minister
responsible for the Abitibi-Témiscamingue and
Nord-du-Québec Regions
Tel.: 418-646-9131
