New infrastructure projects in Edmonton combat heavy rains and flooding

EDMONTON, ALBERTA--(Marketwired - Nov. 9, 2016) - All Canadians deserve to live in communities that are protected from natural hazards and environmental risks. Increasingly heavy rains and flooding cause widespread economic and social damage, and that is why the governments of Canada and Alberta are investing in infrastructure that will help mitigate those risks.

The Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, and His Worship Don Iveson, Mayor of Edmonton, today announced new funding for an important stormwater management project in Edmonton.

In recent years, the city's Mill Woods neighbourhood was hard-hit by heavy rains, with over 500 homes reporting flooding in 2012. This stormwater management project will improve the region's capacity to deal with rain by providing overland storage for stormwater and increased capacity in the storm-sewer system. Once completed, the project will help to protect more than 1000 properties, including homes, schools and local businesses.

The Government of Canada will contribute up to $30,316,000 to this project. The Government of Alberta will contribute up to $11,910,000 and the City of Edmonton will cover the remaining costs for this project, which has a total estimated cost of $107,081,000.

Quotes

"The Government of Canada is committed to building safer and more resilient communities, which is critical for attracting economic opportunities for the middle class and those working hard to join it. Having many friends and family who live in Mill Woods, I know how important this project is for our community. By making strategic investments in effective disaster mitigation infrastructure, we will reduce the frequency and severity of impacts, and protect our families from extreme natural events."

The Honourable Amarjeet Sohi,

Minister of Infrastructure and Communities

"Community-level flood mitigation projects like those planned for southeast Edmonton are so important because they protect people, homes, businesses, and critical infrastructure against the impacts of severe weather events. Building on the provincial funding already in place, the federal funding announced today will help address a pressing need in Mill Woods and ensure Edmonton is better able to adapt to a changing climate where severe weather events will be more common."

The Honorable Shannon Phillips

Minister of Environment and Parks, Minister Responsible for the Climate Change Office

"We are grateful to the governments of Alberta and Canada for partnering with us on this much needed infrastructure that will help us mitigate flood risks in our city. We look forward to continuing to work together to invest in local infrastructure which we know will not only create jobs and grow our economy but improve the lives of Edmontonians."

His Worship Don Iveson,

Mayor of Edmonton

Associated links

Government of Canada's $180-billion+ infrastructure plan: http://www.budget.gc.ca/fes-eea/2016/docs/themes/infrastructure-en.html

Federal infrastructure investments in Alberta: http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/map-carte/ab-eng.html

Provincial-Territorial Infrastructure Component - National and Regional Projects (PTIC-NRP):

http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/nrp-pnr-prog-eng.html

Alberta Community Resilience Program: http://aep.alberta.ca/water/programs-and-services/alberta-community-resilience-program/default.aspx

Twitter: @INFC_eng

Web: Infrastructure Canada