The Government of Alberta has awarded $200 million in grants to municipalities across the province to upgrade local bridges, roads and community airports and make improvements to water supply and treatment facilities.
“Albertans in every corner of the province are facing real challenges as our economy recovers from COVID-19 and our municipalities rely on strong local infrastructure to attract investment and grow their economies,” said Premier Jason Kenney. “As we move ahead with Alberta’s relaunch, this additional investment will go a long way to helping rural municipalities get back on their feet and back to work.”
The additional grant funding will support about 1,800 jobs in communities across Alberta.
“We are taking the next step in Alberta’s economic recovery by significantly increasing funding for well-used infrastructure and water grant programs for our municipalities,” said Ric McIver, Minister of Transportation. “This stimulus funding is just one part of our government’s economic recovery plan to get Albertans back to work. It makes sense to flow stimulus funding into our municipalities through existing programs that communities are familiar with, that build and rebuild roads, bridges, and water infrastructure that communities need constructed and fixed.”
The Strategic Transportation Infrastructure Program (STIP) is providing approximately $50-million in additional STIP funding for municipalities across Alberta to support 69 projects. The program funds bridge improvements, upgrades to resource roads and community airports and other municipal initiatives.
The water infrastructure grants are providing approximately $150 million for 55 water and wastewater improvement projects, with $137 million allocated to the Alberta Municipal Water/Wastewater Partnership (AMWWP) for 54 projects and $13 million to the First Nations Water Tie-in Program to support a water tie-in program for the Ermineskin Cree Nation to the Ponoka regional water pipeline.
For further information on the STIP grants, click here.
For further information on the AMWWP grants, click here.
Featured image credit of Canmore Engine Bridge in Alberta: Mike Cheshire @mixchex.
