Canada-Quebec investment of $21,582,476 in Gatineau to bring water treatment plant up to standard

March 12, 2010

Building Canada Fund – Quebec, Large Urban Centres Component

Gatineau, Quebec, – The Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Member of Parliament for Pontiac, acting on behalf of the Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of State for Canada Economic Development, today joined Laurent Lessard, Quebec Minister of Municipal Affairs, Regions and Land Occupancy, accompanied by Norman MacMillan, Minister for Transport and Member of the National Assembly for Papineau, in announcing that the City of Gatineau will receive $21,582,476 in joint government financial assistance under the Large Urban Centres Component of the Building Canada Fund – Quebec for wastewater disinfection at the Gatineau sector treatment plant.

The project to upgrade the Gatineau-sector treatment plant involves the adoption of a wastewater disinfection process that will have the effect of bringing water treatment into compliance with Quebec’s water policy objectives regarding the effluents from many water treatment plants on the municipal territory. When the Gatineau treatment plant was put into operation in 1984, no provisions were made for a chlorination system. This project will correct that major shortcoming and directly benefit more than 254,500 local residents.

“This wastewater disinfection project at the Gatineau treatment plant will serve the interests of the municipality’s residents and businesses. In so doing, 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 Cannon.

“In supporting 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. By injecting new capital into the Quebec Infrastructure Plan, our government is looking to accelerate the execution of numerous infrastructure projects throughout the province, like this one in Gatineau, in an effort to improve Quebecers’ well-being, create jobs and promote a high-performance economy. In this way, we are leaving the city a legacy of quality infrastructure with which to face the challenges of the future,” added Minister Lessard.

“Despite the major investments made in Quebec for municipal wastewater treatment, residual problems remain in the effluents of some treatment plants, including the presence of fecal contamination. That is why the Government of Quebec, through its Water Policy, has committed to ensuring the disinfection of wastewater from treatment plants when the safety of users is at issue. This project to add wastewater disinfection equipment to the Gatineau treatment plant will reduce the risks to human health while protecting water plant and animal life in the Outaouais River,” noted Minister MacMillan.

“This grant will allow us to modernize the equipment at the Gatineau-sector wastewater treatment plant, the largest facility in the province that uses a biological sludge treatment process. This plant treats wastewater from the sewer systems in the Aylmer, Hull and Gatineau sectors. With this new disinfection equipment, Gatineau will be able to improve the quality of the water discharged into the Outaouais River,” concluded Gatineau Mayor Marc Bureau.

Completion of this project will necessitate an overall eligible investment of $25,391,149. The governments of Quebec and Canada will each contribute $10,791,238 toward the work, for a total of $21,582,476 in combined government funding, while the City of Gatineau will invest $3,808,673 in the project.

The Large Urban Centres Component of the Building Canada Fund - Quebec is a cost-sharing initiative to finance infrastructure projects in Quebec municipalities of 100,000 inhabitants or more. These communities can use this financial assistance to revitalize such public infrastructure as water treatment plants, water supply systems and cultural and sports centres.

An unprecedented funding commitment on the part of the Government of Canada, the Building Canada Fund - Quebec provides stable and predictable funding to support infrastructure projects. In Quebec, nearly $4 billion will be allocated to that end.

The contribution announced today has been awarded through Canada’s Economic Action Plan. For more on this plan, visit www.actionplan.gc.ca.
For further details on the Building Canada Fund - Quebec or the process for submitting a funding application, see www.buildingcanada.gc.ca and www.mamrot.gouv.qc.ca/.