June 07, 2002

THOMPSON--Aboriginal and Northern Affairs Minister Eric Robinson announced here today that $352,400 in new community grants will provide support for water plant operator training and certification, backup operators, waste disposal sites supervision and remote monitoring for certain sewage treatment plants.

"The certificate program and provision of backup operators is a critical part of ensuring safe water for northern Manitobans," said Robinson. "This program fits in with our Northern Development Strategy focus on improved infrastructure and training for Northern Manitoba."

The list of improvements includes the following:

• Funding of $125,000 will be used to train both the primary and backup operators of all 43 community water treatment plants to comply with provincial guidelines.
• A total of $41,400 will be provided for backup water operators and waste water operators to be on site to relieve the water operator during absences.
• Waste disposal sites are to be fenced, gated and supervised when open. This additional $128,100 in funding will provide communities with wages to pay supervisors for the controlled use of waste disposal sites.
• An additional $57,900 in funding will provide communities with the ability to engage the services of industry experts who will provide immediate notification, via remote monitoring, if problems occur at sewage treatment plants. Monthly reports will be provided as well as semi-annual visitation and plant operator training.

The minister noted that the provincial government recently announced $2,751,066, including $1,375,533 from Aboriginal and Northern Affairs, to support infrastructure improvement projects for six Northern Affairs communities under the Canada-Manitoba Infrastructure Program (CMIP).

"Our government is committed to working with the federal government and local communities in ensuring that all Manitobans have access to clean drinking water," said Robinson. "Ensuring that water treatment facilities are upgraded will go a long way toward this goal. We are pleased to be able to partner with the federal government and local communities on these important projects, the majority of which are water quality related."

The list of northern projects receiving CMIP funding include:

• Brochet Sewage Treatment Plant – installation of a new waste water treatment plant and sewage collection system as well as the decommissioning of the existing sewage lagoon;
• Town of Leaf Rapids Sewage Treatment Plant Upgrade - installation of a new effluent flow meter, upgrade/modification of chlorine contact chamber;
• City of Thompson Sewage Treatment Plant and Lift Station Upgrades – pump replacement, mechanical, electrical and structural upgrades;
• Wabowden Waste Disposal Site – construction of a Class II waste disposal site to serve the community of Wabowden and the Setting Lake Cottage area;
• Easterville Waste Water Lagoon – construction of a new waste water lagoon for the communities of Easterville and Chemawawin Cree Nation;
• Pikwitonei Water Treatment Plant – construction of a new water treatment plant to replace the inadequate existing mechanical plant;
• Waterhen Community Council Water Treatment Plant – upgrades to the water treatment plant to develop a supply of safe potable water;
• The Pas and Area Recycling Centre – construction of a 5,000-sq.-ft. building which will house a recycling depot site for the surrounding communities and office space for the centre;
• City of Flin Flon Municipal Infrastructure Expansion – development of a 130,000-sq.-ft. retail facility; and
• Meadow Portage Community Council Recreation/Concession Facility - construction of a recreation/concession building adjacent to the covered skating rink in the community of Meadow Portage. This is the only facility of this type in the area and serves 150 children from outlying areas (Waterhen, Skowanan, Rorketon, Winnipegosis, Crane River and Rock Ridge). Once completed, this project will provide a facility comparable to those in other rural communities.

Most of these projects were recommended by the Rural/Northern Federal-Provincial-Local Consultative Committee (FPLCC) on Infrastructure which was created to provide local government input in the project selection process under the Canada-Manitoba Infrastructure Program.

This six-member committee consists of the president of the Northern Affairs Community Councils (NACC), the president of the Northern Affairs Capital Board, an official from Manitoba Aboriginal and Northern Affairs and the president and two vice-presidents of the Association of Manitoba Municipalities. The recommendations from this committee are forwarded to a management committee made up of representatives from the provincial and federal governments who make recommendations to their ministers.

In September 2001, the province announced a Northern Development Strategy (NDS) which is a long-term plan that identifies opportunities to develop human and natural resources in the North--social and economic changes which will benefit people of the region. The NDS is based on various consultations including the Northern Mayors' and Chiefs' Conference and the Report of the Northern Manitoba Economic Commission. The NDS focuses the priority areas of health, employment and training, transportation, housing, and economic development for the North.

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