Montrose is the first local municipality to benefit from a recent $148.5 million bump in provincial dollars for the the new Clean Water and Wastewater Fund.
Approved projects like the village’s treatment plant upgrades, are cost-shared 50 per cent by the federal government, 33 per cent by the province and the remaining 17 per cent contribution coming from local government.
Of the $800,000 improvement plan, Montrose taxpayers will be on the hook for $134,000 after the province kicks in about $261,000 and the Government of Canada, $395,000.
“We’ve had an issue with the connector line in our wastewater plant for while,” says village Mayor Joe Danchuk, “We’ve flagged this and were prepared to start next year, so this is great news for Montrose.”
The upgrades are also in keeping with the village’s five-year strategic plan which includes secure funding for infrastructure maintenance focusing on WWTP upgrades, as well as the Montrose Integrated Sustainability Plan which tracks effluent flows (water leaving the plant) and compliance with provincial permit requirements.
“This funding will assist the village in continuing to operate its wastewater drainage system efficiently and effectively within federal and provincial environmental standards,” Danchuk added. “And greatly extend its operational life.”
B.C. Premier Christy Clark announced the new funding during last month’s Union of BC Municipalities.
The Clean Water and Wastewater Fund is an infrastructure program to enable critical investment in local government infrastructure to get underway, specifically support long term benefits in the rehabilitation of water, wastewater and stormwater systems, and for the planning and design of future facilities and upgrades to existing wastewater systems.