NLIS 3
February 8, 2005
(Municipal and Provincial Affairs)
 

Tenders to be called for Stephenville sewage treatment facility

Bill Matthews, MP for Random-Burin-St. Georges on behalf of Joseph McGuire, Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), and Jack Byrne, Minister of Municipal and Provincial Affairs, announced today that tenders are now in the process of being awarded for a new sewage treatment facility at Stephenville.

This $6.9 million project is being funded under the Canada-Newfoundland Infrastructure Program (CNIP), with the federal, provincial and municipal governments each contributing one-third to the cost of the facility. Priority projects under CNIP target water and wastewater systems, water management, solid waste management and recycling.

"Today�s announcement will greatly benefit the Town of Stephenville and its residents, and represents the continuing commitment of the Government of Canada to improve municipal infrastructure," said Minister McGuire. "Our first priority is green municipal infrastructure � projects that improve the quality of our environment. We are pleased to see all levels of government working together with key stakeholders to build infrastructure that will improve the quality of life for Canadians in urban, rural and remote communities across the country."

"Ensuring municipalities have proper sewage treatment is a priority for the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador," said Minister Jack Byrne. "I am very pleased that we are now getting this project underway, both for the positive impact on our environment, and for the employment that will be generated by such significant municipal capital works projects."

Currently, untreated municipal wastewater from the Town of Stephenville is being discharged directly into the environment through outfalls at two separate locations � St. George�s Bay and Blanche Brook. Blanche Brook runs through the community and empties into St. George�s Bay.

"There was no treatment or disinfection prior to discharge of wastewater from the outfall and the effluent was not in compliance with the provincial Department of Environment guidelines for the discharge of municipal wastewater," said Stephenville Mayor Cecil Stein. "This project will certainly address that pressing need to be in compliance, as well as provide the residents and businesses of the community with a first-class effluent treatment plant."

Green municipal infrastructure projects, such as water and waste water systems and solid waste management, were identified as the priority for projects approved under the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Infrastructure Program. The CNIP is administered federally by the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and provincially by the Department of Municipal and Provincial Affairs.

Under the five-year agreement, federal, provincial and municipal governments will invest a total of $153.7 million in municipal infrastructure in Newfoundland and Labrador.

FOR BROADCAST USE ONLY:

Stephenville Mayor Cec Stein announced today that tenders are now in the process of being awarded for a new sewage treatment facility for the community. The $6.9 million project is being funded under the Canada-Newfoundland Infrastructure Program, with the federal, provincial and municipal governments each contributing one-third to the cost. The announcement of the funding was made by Bill Matthews, MP for Random-Burin-St. Georges on behalf of Joseph McGuire, Minister for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, and Jack Byrne, Minister of Municipal and Provincial Affairs.

Media contact:
Val�rie Poulin, Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, (613) 941-7241
Doug Burgess, Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, (709) 772-2935
Vanessa Colman-Sadd, Municipal and Provincial Affairs, (709) 729-1983, 682-6593
Barry Coates, Town of Stephenville, (709) 643-8360

2005 02 08                 11:00 a.m.