Funding has come through for a major sanitary sewer project for North Battleford.
In a joint news release from the federal government and the province, it was confirmed that the City of North Battleford’s $13.6 million Primary Sanitary Sewer Trunk Upgrades would be funded through the New Building Canada Fund’s Provincial-Territorial Infrastructure Component - National and Regional Projects.
The federal and provincial governments will each be contributing $4,533,333 to the project. The city is to pick up the tab for the remaining amount.
Mayor Ryan Bater was in Regina Tuesday for the funding announcement.
“Without this funding agreement, the city would not be able to complete this project on its own,” said Bater of the project.
“This will upgrade our sanitary sewer trunk main to a larger size. It will address flood issues now, it will address sewer backup now. Right now during wet seasons or wet periods, our sewer capacity is full, so our city cannot grow beyond the point that it is because of that. This funding will allow us to make the upgrade so that we could address the flooding and the sewer backups now, but also allow North Battleford to grow into the future.”
The project to upgrade the city’s sanitary sewer trunk main had been on the books for some time. It was discussed in budget deliberations in late 2016, and in January 2017 the city held a special meeting in order to approve an application to the Provincial Territorial Infrastructure Component – Clear Water Waste Water Fund for the project.
At that meeting, City Engineer Bob Anthony explained the sanitary sewer project would meet an urgent need to address what was described as a developing bottleneck situation near Allen Sapp Gallery. Concern was expressed that wastewater could come to the surface during storm situations.
This project will reduce the risk of that, Anthony said. The need for increased capacity to service new subdivisions in the city, including Killdeer and Fairview, was also identified.
In speaking to the News-Optimist Tuesday, Bater said the funding will go to replace six kilometers of the trunk main from Allen Sapp Gallery going all the way to the wastewater treatment plant.
The sanitary sewer project had been in limbo while waiting on funding news. Now that funding is in place, the city can proceed to the next steps.
Bater said the city must now organize its own funding for the project.
“Our city and council have some work to do,” he said. “There’s been a lot going on within finance right now.”
One thing that Bater pointed to was the recent council resolution to apply to the province to raise its debt limit to $55 million dollars. “That was really in anticipation of this (announcement),” Bater said.
“The funding mechanisms for this project we need to identify and get in place in a reasonable amount of time so we can initiate the project.”
The indication from Bater is there is no question that council will proceed with the sanitary sewer project.
“We cannot turn down 33 cent dollars,” Bater said. Receiving two-thirds funding for the project from the upper levels of government was an opportunity the city would not turn down, he said.
More details are expected to come out in the near future about project timelines, the construction schedule, and other aspects of the project. The indication from previous council discussions is this would be a multi-year one with city funding spread out over several years.
As for when shovels will be in the ground, Bater hopes for the request for proposals to go out as soon as the city’s funding mechanism is in place. “The sooner, the better,” said Bater.
The North Battleford project is one of eight projects in Saskatchewan being funded. The governments of Canada and Saskatchewan each contributed up to $27,370,034 through the New Building Canada Fund, with funding recipients responsible for remaining costs. When those are included, the overall total comes to $82,110,103.
“Modern water and wastewater infrastructure is essential to safeguarding the wellbeing of Canadian families and building the Canada we want for tomorrow,” said federal Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Ralph Goodale in a statement.
“Our government has ramped up new investments in Saskatchewan communities’ water and wastewater systems that will help protect the environment, keep people healthy and bolster economic growth.”
“The Government of Saskatchewan is proud to be investing more than $27.3 million toward these important water and wastewater infrastructure projects that strengthen our communities for the future, protect our environment and help keep our great province strong,” said provincial Government Relations Minister Warren Kaeding in a statement.
