SHAWINIGAN, QC, JUNE 28, 2017 -- An official ground-breaking ceremony marking the continuation of work to upgrade the city of Shawinigan, Quebec's drinking water infrastructure.
This project is receiving more than $48 million in joint financial assistance from the governments of Canada and Quebec under the Major Infrastructure Component of the Building Canada Fund‒Quebec. The City of Shawinigan is investing more than $16 million for a total government and municipal investment of more than $64 million.
"We are committed to investing in local infrastructure that ensures Canadians have access to solid, modern water services," said François-Philippe Champagne, minister of international trade and member of parliament for Saint-Maurice–Champlain. "The work to upgrade the drinking water facilities in Shawinigan will help protect the environment and keep our communities healthy while promoting economic growth and creating well-paid jobs for the middle class."
To meet the requirements of the Quebec Department of Sustainable Development, Environment and the Fight Against Climate Change, the City of Shawinigan is starting the construction of two new water treatment plants this year, one for water drawn from Lac des Piles and the other for water from Lac à la Pêche.
The project to upgrade the drinking water infrastructure also includes modifying the water supply system to connect the Saint-Georges and Lac-à-la-Tortue sectors to the Lac à la Pêche water supply system. This change is required because the City of Shawinigan should not draw more than 7,500 m3 per day from Lac des Piles. The new system should be operational by September.
"The citizens of Shawinigan made it clear that they wanted their drinking water to continue to be drawn from Lac des Piles and Lac à la Pêche. In 2014, the provincial government agreed to this request and at this point, we were able to sit down with the federal and provincial governments to determine the right financial package," said Michel Angers, mayor of Shawinigan. "Today, we are officially breaking ground to make these upgrades a reality."
The Government of Canada will provide more than $180 billion in infrastructure funding over 12 years for public transit, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, transportation that supports trade, and Canada's rural and northern communities.
Budget 2017 proposed $21.9 billion over 11 years for investments in green infrastructure. This amount includes $5 billion available for investment through the Canada Infrastructure Bank.
Under the 2017‒2027 Quebec Infrastructure Plan, the Quebec Department of Municipal Affairs and Land Occupancy will invest a total of $15 billion in infrastructure thanks to $7 billion in government financial support.
