News Release

CAMPBELLTON (GNB) – An investment of more than $1.6 million in the Campbellton wastewater treatment plant was announced today under the Small Communities Fund.

“This project supports a stronger community through improvements to the city's municipal wastewater treatment plant,” said Energy and Mines Minister Donald Arseneault. “We are proud of the partnership we have with the federal government and the municipality to deliver new infrastructure and jobs to this vibrant community.”

Arseneault made the announcement on behalf of Environment and Local Government Minister Brian Kenny.

“The federal government understands that by building stronger communities and modernizing and developing our infrastructure, we are creating jobs and opportunities and building a better Canada for future generations,” said federal Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Minister Bernard Valcourt. “The Small Communities Fund of the New Building Canada Fund supports economic growth from coast to coast to coast while ensuring that Canadian communities remain among the best in the world to live.”

Valcourt made the announcement on behalf of Infrastructure, Communities, and Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Denis Lebel.

The investment will enable the city to install mechanical screens, back-up power and an effluent disinfection system at the plant.

The mechanical screens are required to remove debris from the raw sewage prior to treatment. The back-up power will ensure the facility continues to operate during power outages caused by increasingly frequent severe weather, and an effluent disinfection system was recommended following an environmental risk assessment study completed in April 2014.

“The project will contribute to economic growth and ensure Campbellton contributes to a cleaner environment by improving the wastewater effluent quality, providing wastewater treatment even during a power failure, and improving the reliability and performance of our infrastructure,” said Mayor Bruce MacIntosh.

Under the Small Communities Fund, the provincial government is partnering with the federal government to jointly invest a total of about $79 million in infrastructure over the next 10 years. Each project also receives matched funding from the community for a total investment of more than $118 million.

A total of 38 projects in New Brunswick communities will receive funding for strategic infrastructure projects that contribute to both a cleaner environment and economic growth. This is the first round of investments under the fund.

The Small Communities Fund was announced last year as part of the federal government’s 10-year infrastructure plan for communities with a population of less than 100,000. The fund was created under the New Building Canada Plan 2014-2024.

Eligible categories include highways and major roads, public transit, disaster mitigation, connectivity and broadband, innovation, wastewater, green energy, drinking water, solid waste management, brownfield redevelopment, local and regional airports, short-line rail, short-sea shipping and northern infrastructure.