Petermilliken.org Press Release

GOVERNMENT OF CANADA TO INVEST $25 MILLION TOWARDS WASTE WATER TREATMENT IN KINGSTON

KINGSTON (Ontario) – Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Infrastructure, Allan Rock, and Peter Milliken, Member of Parliament for Kingston and the Islands, today announced that the Government of Canada will contribute up to $25 million towards improved wastewater treatment in Kingston.

“Investing in wastewater infrastructure is critical to the protection of our drinking water and is essential to the quality of life for all Canadians, and underscores the Government of Canada’s commitment to a healthy environment and clean water” said Minister Rock. “Today’s announcement goes a long way towards ensuring these benefits for the residents of the City of Kingston and other municipalities served by the St. Lawrence River and Lake Ontario, and to enable Kingston to grow and prosper.”

The project will involve upgrading the Ravensview Water Pollution Control Plant from primary to secondary treatment level. This will significantly reduce dissolved contaminants in treated wastewater, ensure future compliance with the Ontario Ministry of the Environment’s Surface Water Quality Guidelines, and contribute to the environmental protection of the Great Lakes.

The Honourable Don Boudria also offered his comments on today’s announcement as Minister responsible for Eastern Ontario. “I am pleased that the Government of Canada is investing in this important local wastewater project,” said Minister Boudria. “The Government of Canada recognizes the importance of infrastructure investments in cities like Kingston that have an important regional economic role.”

“Upgrading the Ravensview plant will definitely have a great impact on the health and environment of our community,” said Mr. Milliken. “The completion of this project will ensure the facilities remain up to standard which means a stronger, more efficient infrastructure for the City of Kingston that can support further growth.”

Kingston’s Mayor, Isabel Turner, stressed the importance of this announcement stating that, “despite the fact that we are already facing capacity issues, based upon our original budget forecasts we could not begin this important work until 2008. This funding announcement will enable us to begin our work immediately, five years early, to improve the environment, and for that we are truly grateful. ”

The Government of Canada will contribute up to $25 million towards the costs of implementing this initiative, currently targeted by the City of Kingston at approximately $80 million. The City will be providing the remaining funds over a period of five years, in the context of their Ravensview-Cataraqui-Harbour Front Environmental Upgrade project. Minister Rock and Mr. Milliken also announced that the Government of Canada would sign a formal contribution agreement with the City of Kingston to confirm this commitment within the next six months.

The Government of Canada’s contribution will be made under the Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund. Since its inception, 17 infrastructure projects have been announced to benefit Canadians in all ten provinces. A total of $450 million in funding from the Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund has now been committed towards four major projects in Ontario. Through the Fund, the Government of Canada works with provincial, territorial and municipal governments, as well as with the private sector, to meet strategic infrastructure needs throughout Canada. These investments are directed to large-scale projects of major national and regional significance, in areas that are vital to sustaining economic growth and supporting an enhanced quality of life for Canadians.

In the Speech from the Throne of September 30, 2002, the Government of Canada committed to an additional 10-year involvement in public infrastructure. Its Budget 2003 re-affirmed this long-term commitment, and built the funding for this initiative into the fiscal framework. The Government of Canada’s contribution to infrastructure since 1993 now amounts to $12 billion.