North Cowichan and Duncan Receive Federal Contribution for Joint Utility Board Sewage Treatment Plant Treated Effluent Outfall Relocation Project
The Municipality of North Cowichan, the City of Duncan, Cowichan Tribes, and Areas D and E of the Cowichan Valley Regional District (CVRD) will be relocating the existing Joint Utility Board Sewage Treatment Plant (JUB STP) treated effluent outfall from the Cowichan River to Satellite Channel, thanks to funding from the Government of Canada through the Gas Tax Fund.
This project involves the construction of a new treated effluent pump station at the treatment plant, along with a 13 kilometer pipeline from the pump station to Satellite Channel. Construction of the pump station is anticipated to commence in 2018, with construction of the pipeline anticipated to follow in 2019.
While the effluent is currently treated to a high quality, this new discharge location will provide significantly more dilution and better mixing of the treated effluent, compared to the current discharge location in the Cowichan River. This project will also reduce the flood risk to the treatment plant during the winter months and provide opportunities to explore greenhouse gas emissions reduction and energy recovery.
The Government of Canada is contributing $6 million to this project through the federal Gas Tax Fund. The Joint Utility Board partners (Municipality of North Cowichan, the City of Duncan, Cowichan Tribes, and the CVRD) are contributing the remaining $21 million.
This project is one of seven announced today that are being funded through the Strategic Priorities Fund under the federal Gas Tax Fund for 2016.
Each year, the Government of Canada provides close to $266 million in indexed funding for local government infrastructure projects across British Columbia through the federal Gas Tax Fund. The funding can be spent on any eligible project the community prioritizes across a broad range of eligible project categories, or it can be pooled with other communities for regional projects, banked for later priorities or used to pay for financed projects.
The Union of BC Municipalities administers the Federal Gas Tax Fund in British Columbia in partnership with the Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia.
Quotes
“Through the federal Gas Tax Fund, the Government of Canada is allowing communities in British Columbia, and across Canada, to prioritize their infrastructure investments and decide how best to spend federal dollars. Whether it’s about protecting local waters, modernizing community centres or just turning on the tap to drink clean fresh water, these seven community projects will contribute to building the strong, inclusive and sustainable communities Canadians desire to live in.”
The Honourable Amarjeet,
Minister of Infrastructure and Communities
“The Province of British Columbia continues to support its communities and ensure residents have access to important infrastructure amenities like this new pump station and pipeline at the treatment plant that will further treat effluent in the area. We are pleased to work with the Union of British Columbia Municipalities and the Federal Government to provide Duncan and North Cowichan with a reliable source of funding for investments like this through the Gas Tax Agreement.”
The Honourable Peter Fassbender,
Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development
“This project is a great example of partnership at all levels of government working together to improve services for local residents. I appreciate the continuing support provided through the federal Gas Tax Fund to accelerate the upgrading of core infrastructure in British Columbia’s communities.”
Al Richmond,
President, Union of B.C. Municipalities
“We are extremely pleased to receive support through the federal Gas Tax Fund for this critical project. Relocation of the Joint Utility Board Sewage Treatment Plant treated effluent outfall will benefit many of our residents, as well as our environment.”
North Cowichan Mayor Jon Lefebure and City of Duncan Mayor Phil Kent
Associated Links
Investing in Canada, the Government of Canada’s new $120 billion infrastructure plan: http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/index-eng.html.
Federal infrastructure investments in British Columbia: http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/map-carte/bc-eng.html.
Federal Gas Tax Fund: http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/gtf-fte-eng.html.
Projects announced today under the Strategic Priorities Fund in British Columbia:
http://news.gc.ca/web/article-en.do?nid=1094209 .
