EDMONTON – The Alberta government is funding $236 million in grants for 125 local transportation and water infrastructure projects in small and rural communities across Alberta.
The funding will be distributed via the Strategic Transportation Infrastructure Program (STIP), the Alberta Municipal Water/Wastewater Partnership (AMWWP) and Water for Life program, a release said.
A total of 86 local road, bridge and community airport projects are receiving funding this year under STIP, the release said, including a $906,000 grant for a runway paving project at Big Bend Airport in Red Deer County, a $4.8-million grant for a bridge replacement in East Prairie Metis Settlement, and a $2.4-million grant for Range Road 92 and Township Road 730 improvements in Grande Prairie County.
A $2.8-million grant is being provided for highway service road paving in Valleyview.
Approved projects under the Water for Life program include a $14.9-million grant to Athabasca County for construction of the Island Lake Regional Water Extension supplying water to six summer villages from the ASPEN Regional Water Services Commission in Athabasca. A $13.7-million grant will support the construction of a regional waterline from the Town of High River to the Town of Nanton.
An $8-million grant is also being provided to the West Inter-Lake District Regional Water Commission under the Water for Life program to support the last phase of an extensive regional water system project covering the inter-lake district, east of Edmonton, the release said. This is the final phase of the project and expand the waterline from the West Inter-Lake District regional water system from Alberta Beach along the south shore communities of Lac Ste. Anne to a truck fill station to be built at Darwell.
Approved projects under the Alberta Municipal Water/Wastewater Partnership include a $4.5-million grant to the Town of Coaldale for a new treated reservoir and pump station, a $2.5-million grant to the Town of Didsbury for a new reservoir to address current capacity and fire-fighting deficiencies with the town’s existing system, and a $2.5-million grant to the Village of Stirling for a potable water pipeline and reservoir upgrades, the release said.