Northern Communities Receive Infrastructure Cash

Northern Communities Receive Infrastructure Cash

Monday, February 23, 2009 at 14:48

 

 

A number of communities in northern Saskatchewan stand to benefit from Friday’s infrastructure announcement by the provincial and federal governments.

 

Bridges, roads and water systems throughout the province are being targeted through the $95 million allocation from the Building Canada Fund.

 

Some of the projects include a generator in Big River, as well as upgrades to the sewage stations in Cole Bay, Creighton, Denare Beach, Ile-a-la-Crosse, La Loche and Pinehouse.

 

Buffalo Narrows is receiving $3.4 million to go towards a new sewage treatment plant and other upgrades.

 

Mayor Bobby Woods says the improvements are sorely needed, because the community’s current plant is obsolete.

 

Woods adds the demands on local infrastructure will only increase as more people come to the area.

 

Ile-a-la-Crosse is getting $2.1 million for its sewage lagoon expansion.

 

Desnethe-Missinipi-Churchill River MP Rob Clarke says he knows northern Saskatchewan is in urgent need of infrastructure money, particularly when it comes to water and sewer upgrades.

 

Clarke says some of the current systems in the province’s north are “being held together (by) paint, paperclips and elastic bands”.