Residents of Thornhill Benefitting from Improved Wastewater System

TERRACE, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - Sept. 16, 2016) - Investing in infrastructure is vital to creating middle class jobs today and sustained economic growth for years to come. Modern and efficient community infrastructure contributes to a high quality of life by helping connect people to jobs, improve water and wastewater systems, and support new business opportunities.

Thanks to support from the federal Gas Tax Fund, the community of Thornhill recently completed a wastewater infrastructure extension into its core area, providing local businesses and residents with a modern, safe and up-to-date alternative for their independent septic sewer systems.

Not only will this new infrastructure better protect the local environment and the town's high-quality groundwater source, it also provides the opportunity for future expansion into other neighbourhoods, ultimately benefitting a larger part of the community.

The Government of Canada provides over $265 million in indexed funding for local government infrastructure projects across British Columbia through the federal Gas Tax Fund. The funding can be spent on any eligible project the community prioritizes across a broad range of eligible project categories, or it can be pooled with other communities for regional projects, banked for later priorities or used to pay for financed projects.

The Union of BC Municipalities administers the federal Gas Tax Fund in British Columbia in partnership with the Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia.

Quick Facts

• The Government of Canada contributed $2.25 million towards this $4.2 million project through the federal Gas Tax Fund.
• Thornhill's expansion area will fund the balance of the project's cost through property taxation.
• Thornhill Core Area property owners made an investment in 1994 to oversize the capacity of Thornhill's Queensway Sewage System.
• The elimination of septic fields also helps realize the Regional District's obligation under the BC Climate Action Charter targeting the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
• The federal Gas Tax Fund provides Canadian municipalities with a permanent, predictable and indexed source of long-term funding.
• It offers local communities the flexibility to make strategic investments across 18 different project categories, including roads and bridges, public transit, drinking water and wastewater infrastructure, and recreational facilities.

Quotes

"The Government of Canada recognizes that strategic investments in public infrastructure help connect people, create jobs, and promote economic growth that will help the middle class and those trying to join it to prosper. It is thanks to projects like the Thornhill sewer improvement project that Canadian communities will remain among the best places in the world to live, work and raise a family."

The Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities

"The Province of British Columbia continues to help communities update important infrastructure projects, upgrade amenities that improve sewage treatment options and protect groundwater sources. Investing in this project will enable future growth of the Thornhill business area and ensure this community and this region thrives into the future."

The Honourable Peter Fassbender, Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development

"Investment in community infrastructure provides the foundation for economic growth while safeguarding community health and the environment. We are pleased to see federal support for this important project in the community of Thornhill."

Al Richmond, President, Union of B.C. Municipalities

"We sensed the time was right through discussions with the property owners involved. It was a very easy decision to allocate federal Gas Tax Funds to this project to strengthen our community. On behalf of Thornhill, thank you to everyone who helped make this happen."

Ted Ramsey, Thornhill Director, Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine

Associated Links

Federal infrastructure investments in British Columbia

Investing in Canada, the Government of Canada's new $120 billion infrastructure plan

Federal Gas Tax Fund

Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine

Twitter: @INFC_eng

Web: Infrastructure Canada