Canada-Yukon Infrastructure Agreement Signed for Funding Under New Federal Programs

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - June 22, 2016) - Infrastructure Canada

Investing in community infrastructure helps ensure that families have high quality municipal water and wastewater systems that they can rely upon and that parents can get home from work more easily and get their kids to hockey practice quicker.

Today, the Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, the Honourable Currie Dixon, Minister of Community Services and Minister of the Public Service Commission for the Government of Yukon, and the Honourable Larry Bagnell, Member of Parliament for Yukon, announced a bilateral agreement marking a critical step in making infrastructure funding available across the territory so that shovel worthy projects can proceed without delay. The agreement makes more than $69.7 million in combined funding available to Yukon municipalities to support water and wastewater and public transit infrastructure projects.

A total of 22 projects were also announced, representing $52,280,275 in federal funding alone. This amount represents the full Yukon funding allocation under two new funding programs.

Through the Clean Water and Wastewater Fund, the federal government is providing $51,390,275. This includes projects like the Village of Mayo's water and wastewater line upgrades that will help ensure that the Village residents continue to enjoy clean, reliable water, and that the wastewater infrastructure can effectively meet community needs while protecting the surrounding environment. Similar investments in other communities will upgrade existing infrastructure to improve distribution or collection systems, or upgrade the systems to support community sustainability and growth.

The agreement also provides $890,000 to the City of Whitehorse through the Public Transit Infrastructure Fund to support a project in Yukon that will help the community meet its residents' transportation needs. Improvements to local transit will increase capacity and enhance service of the City of Whitehorse's public transit system.

Quotes

"Infrastructure is the foundation of the Canada we want to build for tomorrow. The Government of Canada recognizes that we need a solid partnership with all orders of government to support infrastructure and create good, well-paying jobs that can help the middle class grow and prosper today. We are very pleased to have reached an agreement with Yukon which will make over $52 million in federal funding available and allow communities across the Yukon to address their specific infrastructure priorities."

The Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities

"We are pleased to be the first jurisdiction in the country to fully commit funding under these two important infrastructure funding programs. These funds not only increase the overall funding for water and wastewater infrastructure and public transit that we can deliver to Yukon communities, they will also create more work and provide welcome economic stimulus for the construction industry and for our communities. Our government prides itself on putting Yukoners' interests first and working cooperatively with the federal government is a big part of that."

The Honourable Currie Dixon, Minister of Community Services and Minister of the Public Service Commission

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For the complete list of identified projects in Yukon please visit: http://news.gc.ca/web/article-en.do?nid=1089399

Quick facts

• This funding is part of the first phase of Investing in Canada, the Government of Canada's historic $120-billion plan to support public infrastructure across the country over the next 10 years.
• Phase 1 of Investing in Canada will provide well over $10 billion in immediate investments to support public transit systems, green infrastructure projects, and social infrastructure projects. Details on Phase 2 of Investing in Canada will be announced over the next year.
• The funding available under Phase 1 will be provided through the Public Transit Infrastructure Fund and the Clean Water and Wastewater Fund, both of which will be managed through agreements between the Government of Canada and provincial and territorial governments.
• Under this agreement, the Government of Canada has made its funding retroactive to April 1, 2016, so projects can proceed without delay to ensure a productive construction season.

Associated links

To see progress on federal infrastructure investments in Yukon: http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/pt-sp/ptt-tsp-eng.html

To learn more about Investing in Canada, the Government of Canada's new $120 billion infrastructure plan: http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/index-eng.html

To learn more about the Clean Water and Wastewater Fund: http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/cwwf-fepeu-eng.html

To learn more about the Public Transit Infrastructure Fund: http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/ptif-fitc-eng.php

Twitter: @INFC_eng

Web: Infrastructure Canada

Backgrounder

Infrastructure Agreement Reached with Yukon for New Federal Programs

22 projects immediately identified for funding

Clean Water and Wastewater Fund

The Government of Canada is providing $51,390,275 under the new Clean Water and Wastewater Fund (CWWF) to support 21 projects that will rehabilitate and improve the reliability or operational effectiveness or efficiency of community water and wastewater systems. The federal Government will fund up to 75% of eligible costs for projects under this Fund. Combined with territorial contributions, $68,520,367 will be going toward clean water and wastewater across Yukon.

As part of the bilateral agreement with Yukon, the following projects have been approved for funding. This represents the full Yukon allocation under CWWF. Projects will begin development work immediately.

Location		Project Title		Project Description		Federal Funding	Start Date
City of Dawson		Dawson Twin Raw Water Line, Outfall Upgrade & Screening Plant Decommission		Water Line Twinning and Wastewater Outfall Upgrades		$3,000,000	2017-04-01
City of Dawson		Water and Wastewater Upgrades		Water Distribution System and Wastewater Collection System Upgrades		$3,750,000	2017-06-01
City of Whitehorse		Whitehorse Downtown Upgrades		Downtown Water and Wastewater Upgrades		$6,075,000	2017-07-01
Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation (LSCFN)		LSCFN-Carmacks Water Plant & Truck Bay Upgrades		Water Treatment Plant & Truck Bay Upgrades		$825,000	2017-01-01
Town of Faro		Faro Water and Wastewater Line Upgrades		Water and Wastewater Line Upgrades		$3,750,000	2017-05-01
Town of Faro		Faro Pumphouses Rehabilitation and Reservoir Upgrades		Water System and Reservoir Upgrades		$3,000,000	2017-04-01
Town of Watson Lake		Watson Lake Forcemain & Gravity Trunk		Wastewater Forcemain and Gravity Trunk Upgrades		$900,000	2017-05-01
Town of Watson Lake		Watson Lake Reservoir		Water Reservoir Upgrades and Construction of New Reservoir		$3,600,000	2017-04-01
Town of Watson Lake		Watson Lake Wet Well and Lift Station		Wet Well and Lift Station Upgrades		$3,000,000	2017-05-01
Village of Carmacks		Carmacks Phase 3 Wastewater System		Third Phase of Wastewater System Upgrades		$2,662,500	2017-06-01
Village of Carmacks		Carmacks Lagoon and Sludge Beds		Wastewater Lagoon and Sludge Bed Upgrades		$2,625,000	2017-06-01
Village of Haines Junction		Haines Junction Lagoon Upgrades		Wastewater Lagoon Upgrades		$3,000,000	2017-04-01
Village of Mayo		Mayo Lift Station		Lift Station Upgrades		$1,125,000	2017-05-01
Village of Mayo		Mayo Wastewater Forcemain		Wastewater Forcemain Replacement		$1,125,000	2017-05-01
Village of Mayo		Mayo Valve Replacements		Water System Valve Replacements		$450,000	2017-05-01
Village of Mayo		Mayo Water and Wastewater Line Upgrades		Water and Wastewater Line Upgrades		$5,250,000	2017-05-01
Marsh Lake		Marsh Lake Water Treatment Plant Replacement		Water Treatment Plant Replacement		$1,125,000	2017-04-01
Ross River		Ross River Sewage Lagoon		Sewage Lagoon Rehabilitation		$2,025,000	2016-07-01
Tagish		Tagish Pipe Firehall to Water Treatment Plant		Water Line Construction		$187,500	2016-07-01
Old Crow		Old Crow Lagoon Upgrades		Lagoon Rehabilitation		$3,375,000	2017-07-01
Territory-Wide		SCADA System Upgrades Territory-Wide		Wastewater System Upgrades		$540,275	2016-09-01

Public Transit Infrastructure Fund

The Government of Canada is providing $890,000 under the new Public Transit Infrastructure Fund (PTIF) to support a project in Yukon that will increase capacity, enhance service and environmental outcomes of the City of Whitehorse's public transit system. The federal Government will fund up to 75% of eligible costs for the project. When combined with territorial contributions, $1,186,667 will be contributed.

As part of the bilateral agreement with Yukon, the following project has been approved for funding. This represents the full Yukon allocation under PTIF.

Location	Project Name	Project Description	Federal Funding	Start Date
City of Whitehorse	Whitehorse Public Transit	Public transit system improvements	$890,000	2017-06-01