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Cranbrook, BC (June 28, 2021) – Upgrades to the City of Cranbrook wastewater lagoons at the north end of the community are expected to begin by the end of June 2021, thanks to more than $7.3 million dollars in funding from both the Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia.

More than $4.1 million in project funds is coming from the Government of Canada’s Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP) – BC - Rural and Northern Communities Infrastructure Stream (RNIS), and over $3.2 million is provided by the Province of British Columbia. The City is contributing a total of $822,066 to the project.

The Wastewater Lagoons and Influent Trunk Main Upgrade project will increase the quality of effluent treated. It involves  replacing all the piping between and under the lagoon cells and installing a new trunk main that enters the lagoons from the intersection of Victoria Avenue and Highway 3. Improvements to the overall site will also be undertaken to increase the efficiency of the treatment operation as well as extend its useful lifespan.

"Rural communities are an integral part of our country, and they have been impacted by COVID-19 in unprecedented ways,” said the Honourable Maryam Monsef, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Rural Economic Development. “Water is life - this is why upgrades for community facilities like Cranbrook’s Wastewater Lagoons and Influent Trunk Main is so important to help communities stay strong, vibrant, and resilient. It is equally important that we continue investing in vital water infrastructure. Since November 2015, our government has invested over $119 million in 31 projects to connect more than 34,000 households in British-Columbia to high-speed Internet. Additionally, we have worked with partners to lift all long-term drinking water advisories in BC and we have also invested in 3,300 infrastructure projects in British-Columbia, including 81 clean wastewater projects in rural communities and 621 drinking water facilities, to strengthen local economies and improve people's quality of life."

“This investment will ensure that the people of Cranbrook will have up-to-date wastewater treatment, putting the environment and the health of the community first,” said Josie Osborne, Minister of Municipal Affairs. “Our government is committed to supporting small communities and rural areas to create opportunities for them to build the public infrastructure they need.”

“This is a project that is important to the City’s wastewater system to complete. Without this funding from the Government of Canada and the Province of BC, it would have been very difficult for us to do,” says Mayor Lee Pratt. “We are very thankful for the funding and are very glad that we can proceed at this time and do the necessary repairs that need to be done.”

The City of Cranbrook gratefully acknowledges the financial commitment of both the Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia toward this important environmental work.

The City will be providing regular updates to the public throughout the project, as work is expected to impact traffic in several areas of the community, especially at the intersection of Victoria Avenue and Highway 3.