The governments of Canada and British Columbia are investing $3.14 million, through the Building Canada Fund, to upgrade the Town of Creston’s existing wastewater treatment plant in Kootenay-Columbia district, British Columbia. The project will create an estimated 47 direct and indirect jobs. The new treatment plant will conserve energy, implement integrated resource management technologies, conserve water as well as elevate the level of wastewater treatment and protect the Kootenay River.
The funding will support upgrades to the existing wastewater treatment plant so it meets provincial and federal regulatory standards.
“This project is just one example of the commitment of both governments to strengthen the British Columbia economy by reducing red tape, creating jobs and getting shovels in the ground sooner,” said Kootenay-Columbia member of parliament Jim Abbott. “These upgrades will allow Creston to better manage its wastewater treatment while minimizing environmental impacts.”
“The Province of British Columbia is committed to supporting communities as they work to preserve their natural assets and strengthen their infrastructure,” said Tourism, Culture and the Arts Minister Bill Bennett, on behalf of Kevin Krueger, Minister of Community Development. “Through this investment, residents of Creston can rest assured knowing that wastewater will be properly treated to reduce its impact on the environment, especially with respect to the Kootenay River.”
Creston community is facing the daunting task of upgrading or replacing obsolete infrastructure built decades ago. The existing treatment plant, which is over 30 years old, serves almost the entire the population of Creston (nearly 5,000 residents), including major employers. With an out-of-date operating system, however, the plant is unable to keep up with the demands of the community in a sustainable way.
“On behalf of the residents of the Town of Creston, I am very pleased that our community is being recognized by the Building Canada Fund in the first wave of announcements,” said Creston Mayor Ron Toyota. “The Town of Creston acknowledges that this critical project could not proceed without the financial support of our federal and provincial governments. We are most grateful.”
This project is one of 41 projects across the province that will break ground quickly thanks to a joint federal-provincial investment of $110 million. Together with local government contributions, the total investment in local infrastructure improvements in British Columbia during this first intake exceeds $175 million. The governments of Canada and British Columbia have taken steps to get shovels in the ground and to flow money faster for targeted infrastructure projects in British Columbia communities in the 2009 and 2010 construction seasons.