The City of Prince Rupert is expected to prepare an application for the federal and provincial government’s Clean Water and Wastewater Fund (CWWF) after the anticipated approval from council this past Monday night of its application for funding.
City communications manager Veronika Stewart confirmed that the city will be applying for the fund, announced shorty after the Union of BC Municipalities meeting in late September took place in Victoria.
“On Oct. 24, council will hear a report from staff on the proposed application to the CWWF. Once council has approved staff to move forward with the application, it will be prepared and submitted ahead of the Nov. 23 [fund] deadline. After the application is submitted, the mayor and staff will also follow up to discuss the application with associated federal and provincial ministries,” said Stewart late last week.
She also noted that the two projects the city will be applying for (the maximum in this case) will be to replace the city’s 100-year-old dam (“Phase 2” in its water supply project) and to replace the submarine water supply lines around Seal Cove (“Phase 3”) that bring potable water from the mainland across to Prince Rupert on Kaien Island.
“Mayor and council and administration at the city have identified the priority for infrastructure renewal to be replacement of critical potable water supply infrastructure. This year, we received a grant of $4.4 million from the provincial and federal governments through the Build Canada Fund to complete Phase 1 of our water supply project, with construction commencing in the next six months,” added Stewart.
Prince Rupert’s $150 million wastewater treatment plant will not be in the city’s application due to the application guideline’s limits.
“The city was very encouraged to hear that the federal government was increasing their contribution within this granting process. Increased funding from other levels of government increases the likelihood that municipalities like ours are able to afford important projects like our three-phase water works project,” said Prince Rupert Mayor Lee Brain.
