Alberta road and water infrastructure projects receive grants

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The province of Alberta has announced that it will be spending more than $86 million in grants to support water and transportation infrastructure projects.

Included in the spending are $58.7 million from the Water for Life and the Alberta Municipal Water/Wastewater Partnership (AMWWP) grant programs. Those funds will support 33 water infrastructure projects across the province aimed at improving water and wastewater services and access to clean drinking water for rural communities. More than 800 jobs are expected to be created during construction on those projects.

Additionally, the Strategic Transportation Infrastructure Program (STIP) will provide $27.4 million in grants to rural and small urban municipalities to build and maintain local transportation infrastructure, including local roads, bridges and community airports. The funding will support 45 projects that will generate 210 new jobs.

“These projects will not only address critical local municipal infrastructure priorities but will also create good-paying construction jobs for Albertans,” said Prasad Panda, the provincial minister of transportation. “In the longer term, these projects will improve vital trade routes and essential water services that industry needs in order to grow in Alberta.”

Approved projects under the Water for Life program include a raw water supply pipeline in Okotoks and Foothills County as part of the Foothills Okotoks Regional Water Project. The pipeline will provide reliable access to clean drinking water and support future growth in the region.

“Okotoks town council and administration are incredibly grateful to be receiving this funding support from the province. The Water for Life grant will allow us to take the necessary next steps to get the pipeline constructed and operational for 2025,” stated the town’s mayor, Tanya Thorn. “After many years of diligently working towards a long-term water supply solution, this milestone is significant.”

Under the AMWWP, approved initiatives include a new water treatment plant and capacity upgrade in Canmore, a wastewater lagoon upgrade in Valleyview and new wells and a water connection in Sylvan Lake.

Approved initiatives under STIP include improvements on provincial roads and highways. Funded projects include improving resource roads in Cypress County and industrial access roads in High Level, replacing culverts in Parkland County and paving the runway at the Valleyview Airport.

www.alberta.ca