Victoria/Mission – Communities throughout British Columbia will soon be able to apply for a share of the combined $150-million federal-provincial infrastructure funding that will give them the help they need to deliver the water and wastewater services people count on.
As of October 30, the Province began accepting applications from local governments and First Nations for the second intake of Environmental Quality grants available through the joint federal-provincial Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program.
Examples of projects that received funding in the first intake include those that are improving access to safe, reliable drinking water and, in some cases, resolving current drinking water advisories and reducing the likelihood of future ones. Other projects are supporting new and upgraded wastewater systems to meet regulatory standards, modernize services and support growing communities.
That’s where Mission comes in. Mayor Pam Alexis told FVN that her council will apply for this grant. Their sewage concerns and the age of the current pipeline from her community to Abbotsford, has been a bone of contention for some time.
In September, Mission’s Mayor penned an Open Letter To Local Federal Election Candidates, Concerns About Aging Sewer Pipe That FVN story is here.
In January 2017, the one mile stretch of sewage pipe between Mission and Abbotsford became a major concern for then Mission Mayor Randy Hawes, let alone the two communities. The pipe that was built in 1983, is the only line that carries Mission’s sewage from the city, across the Fraser River and into the James Treatment plant in Abbotsford. That FVN story is here.
Under the Environmental Quality program, federal and provincial funding covers up to 73.33% of eligible project costs and up to 90% for off-reserve Indigenous projects. The remaining funding is the responsibility of the community.
