New money for capital works in Twillingate-Fogo district

Gerry Reid, MHA - Twillingate-Fogo, on behalf of Oliver Langdon, Minister of Municipal and Provincial Affairs, announced today approximately $1.12 million for Municipal Capital Works projects for Seldom-Little Seldom, Cottlesville, and Summerford.

Seldom-Little Seldom will receive $895,000 for water and sewer. Cottlesville will receive $200,000 for paving and Summerford has been allocated $24,764 for water and sewer.

"Each of these communities will benefit greatly from this funding," said Reid. "In the past few years we have greatly benefited from the Municipal Capital Works program, and this new money will enable us to further enhance infrastructure in these communities."

The Municipal Capital Works Program is one part of a three pronged approach that was announced in the recent provincial budget. Under this program, the province and municipalities will cost-share projects, with a maximum municipal contribution of 50 per cent. For certain projects including water and sewer servicing, the municipal share is based on variable cost-sharing guidelines which see in some cases the municipality incurring only 10 per cent of the municipal share.

The province has committed to pay 100 per cent of funding, up to $100,000, for chlorination projects in communities on boil water advisories. This is part of government�s commitment in its Safe Drinking Water Initiative.

Projects to be funded through the Municipal Capital Works Program include water treatment, water/sewer servicing, waste management, paving, recreation, municipal buildings and fire fighting. These are primarily for shorter term projects that will be completed this year.

The third component of government�s infrastructure strategy is the Canada-Newfoundland Infrastructure Program, which will be announced at a later date in accordance with federal-provincial agreement guidelines.

Infrastructure expenditures over the next three years will exceed $260 million through the Municipal Capital Works, Multi-Year Capital Works and Canada-Newfoundland Infrastructure programs.

Media contact: Elizabeth Matthews, Communications, Fisheries and Aquaculture, (709) 729-3733.

2002 05 28                           3:20 p.m.