Perth to Receive Funding for Stormwater Improvement Project

PERTH, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - July 8, 2015) - Residents of Perth will benefit from the Stormwater Improvement Project thanks to joint funding from the Governments of Canada and Ontario through the Small Communities Fund.

The project will help decrease pollutant loading to the Tay River through three components: the implementation of stormwater quality control measures on major outfalls, the planning and the commissioning of a sump pump disconnection program and the application of urban and rural best practices such as low impact development retrofits (LID) and septic system repairs. These initiatives will help improve the water quality of the Tay River to preserve the ecosystems and provide significant health and safety benefits to the residents of Perth.

The $1-billion Small Communities Fund provides funding for priority public infrastructure projects that deliver on local needs. Canada and Ontario will each provide $272 million to support projects in communities across the province with fewer than 100,000 residents. This funding will help address local priorities, supporting job creation and economic growth, thus sustaining a high quality of life in small communities across Ontario for years to come.

Quick Facts

• The Government of Canada will provide up to $772,417 through the Small Communities Fund for this project.
• The Province of Ontario will contribute up to $772,417 to this project.
• The Town of Perth will be responsible for all remaining costs of the project.

Quotes

"We are pleased to invest in projects like the Perth Stormwater Improvement Project that will benefit our community by improving much needed local infrastructure.Our Government's commitment to municipalities, big and small, has never been stronger. Through the New Building Canada Plan Small Communities Fund we are investing in priority infrastructure projects that have a strong impact on the quality of life of Ontario's residents while helping job creation and economic growth."

Scott Reid, Member of Parliament for Lanark-Frontenac-Lennox and Addington, on behalf of the Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of Infrastructure, Communities and Intergovernmental Affairs, and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec

"Today's investment in stormwater improvements in Perth will translate into significant health and safety benefits for residents and preserve important ecosystems. It's part of the largest infrastructure investment in Ontario's history - more than $130 billion over 10 years - which is supported by a number of initiatives, including unlocking the value of public assets to help make investments in transit, transportation and other priority infrastructure projects. It demonstrates our government's commitment to keeping our communities strong, creating jobs and making sure that Ontarians receive the basic services they pay for now and in the future."

The Honourable Jeff Leal, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs

"The Town of Perth will be embarking on this infrastructure rehabilitation opportunity to improve the natural environment by means of treating storm sewer discharges to the Tay River and the rerouting of sump pumps from the sanitary sewer systems to reduce impacts to the Tay River from residential, commercial, and agricultural sources. I feel that the partnership between the three levels of government is the right way to help fund these much needed investments in our infrastructure and at the same time ensuring that we are protecting the environment for our children's generation and beyond."

John Fenik, Mayor of Perth

Associated Links

To learn more about the Government of Canada's infrastructure programs, including the Small Communities Fund, please visit http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/nbcp-npcc-eng.html.

To find out more about Ontario's infrastructure programs, including the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund, visit http://www.moi.gov.on.ca/en/infrastructure

Follow us on Twitter at @INFC_eng