News Release

BOUCTOUCHE (GNB) – The Town of Bouctouche and the Village of Saint-Antoine are receiving $5.5 million funding for water system upgrades under the Small Communities Fund.

“I am pleased that the provincial government is joining its federal and municipal counterparts in supporting these two important projects that will improve water services for the residents of Bouctouche and Saint-Antoine,” said Kent South MLA Benoît Bourque. “This partnership will support the sustainability of these communities and provide jobs.”

Bourque attended the announcement for 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 Sen. Rose-May Poirier “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.”

Poirier attended the event for Infrastructure, Communities, and Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Denis Lebel.

The investment for Bouctouche is more than $3.4 million and the upgrades in Saint-Antoine will cost almost $2.1 million.

The project in Bouctouche involves reconstructing the Rotary Park pumping station. Work includes refinishing the interior and exterior of the water reservoir and adding a water delivery line to McLaughlin Street. These upgrades will increase the reliability of Bouctouche’s wastewater collection system and water distribution system and help ensure residents have access to an adequate supply of good quality drinking water.

“This is an important investment in our future,” said Aldéo Saulnier, mayor of Bouctouche. “This is a big project that will support local jobs, protect our environment and ensure our ability to continue to provide good quality infrastructure and services to the community.”

In Saint-Antoine, the project involves improving the sanitary and storm sewer system on Gerard Street and adjacent roads, as well as upgrading Renaud lagoon’s aeration system. Once completed, the project will make the Renaud wastewater treatment systems more efficient, reduce sanitary sewer overflows, and improve the reliability of the wastewater collection and treatment process.

“Our goal is to provide reliable, good quality services and infrastructure to the community,” said Roseline Maillet, mayor of Saint-Antoine. “These improvements will go a long way to helping Saint-Antoine prepare for extreme weather events that challenge our current storm sewer system.”

Under the Small Communities Fund, the provincial government is partnering with the federal government to jointly invest about $85 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 39 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.