Government of Canada Announces First Group of Approved Grants Under the Ontario Potable Water Program

CRYSLER, Ontario, March 27, 2008 — Guy Lauzon, Member of Parliament for Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry and Parliamentary Secretary for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario, on behalf of the Honourable Tony Clement, Minister for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario, is pleased to announce the first group of approved grants under the Ontario Potable Water Program (OPWP).

Forty-two municipalities are approved to receive up to a total of $3,075,760 under the new Government of Canada program, announced in February 2008. The OPWP provides up to $50 million in financial support to promote local economic development in municipalities that have experienced increased costs for their Canada-Ontario Infrastructure Program (COIP) water projects to comply with changes to Ontario drinking water regulations.

"Through the Ontario Potable Water Program, our Government is demonstrating its commitment to help municipalities that have experienced additional costs in bringing their water projects into compliance with regulatory changes," said Minister Clement. "Less than two months after the launch of this program, we are pleased to announce funding for the first group of recipients."

"The federal government continues to support initiatives such as the Ontario Potable Water Program, which foster a growing economy, a cleaner environment and stronger, more prosperous communities in Ontario and across the country," said Parliamentary Secretary Lauzon. "This federal investment of more than $3 million will provide these 42 municipalities with a boost to their local economies."

A complete list of the first 42 approved OPWP grants is available in the attached backgrounder.

Municipalities may be considered for financial support under the program upon completion of their COIP drinking water projects. As projects are completed, Industry Canada officials will contact these municipalities directly to confirm their eligibility and interest in applying for the OPWP. Once applications are assessed, municipalities will be informed and grants will be announced. Financial support under the OPWP must be delivered to municipalities by March 31, 2011.

For more information, please contact:

Erik Waddell
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Tony Clement
613-957-0200

Media Relations
Industry Canada
613-943-2502

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Backgrounder
Ontario Potable Water Program (OPWP) Approved Grants

Municipality	Project Title	OPWP Grant Amount
Alfred and Plantagenet, Township of	Upgrading of the Alfred/Lefaivre, Plantagenet and Wendover Water Treatment Plants	$21,630
Amaranth, Township of	Upgrading of the Acchione and Waldemar Heights Water Supply Systems	$17,019
Amherstburg, Town of	Upgrading of the Amherstburg Water Treatment Plant and Watermain Connection to Boblo Island	$31,511
Bancroft, Town of	Upgrading of the Bancroft Water Treatment Plant	$73,339
Bonnechere Valley, Township of	Upgrading of the Eganville Water Treatment Plant	$12,180
Bradford West Gwillimbury, Town of	Upgrading of the Bradford Water Works	$58,610
Brantford, City of	Upgrading of the Holmedale Water Treatment Plant	$88,552
Brighton, Municipality of	Upgrading of the Brighton Water Supply System	$78,830
Brockton, Municipality of	Upgrading of the Brockton Well Supplies	$42,685
Bruce Mines, Town of	Upgrading of the Bruce Mines Water System	$28,185
Casselman, Village of	Rehabilitation of the Casselman Water Treatment Plant	$70,738
Cavan Monaghan, Township of	Rehabilitation of the Millbrook Well Supply	$15,612
Champlain, Township of	Construction of the Water Supply from Hawkesbury to L'Orignal	$709
Clearview, Township of	Upgrading of Four Water Works Systems	$71,409
Cobourg, Town of	Upgrading of the Cobourg Water Treatment Plant	$101,974
Cramahe, Township of	Upgrading of the Colborne Well Supply	$361
Deseronto, Town of	Upgrading of Deseronto Water Treatment Plant	$1,974
Dubreuilville, Township of	Upgrading of the Dubreuilville Well Supply	$100,796
Edwardsburgh/Cardinal, Township of	Upgrading of the Cardinal Water Treatment Plant	$5,498
Haldimand, County of	Upgrading of Three County Water Systems	$16,723
Iroquois Falls, Town of	Upgrading of the Iroquois Falls and Porquis Junction Well Supplies	$32,271
Johnson, Township of	Upgrading of the Desbarats Water Treatment Plant	$4,754
Kenora, City of	Upgrading of the Kenora Regional Water Treatment Plant	$21,238
Killaloe, Hagarty & Richards, Township of	Upgrading of the Killaloe Station Well Supply	$21,823
Laurentian Hills, Town of	Upgrading of the Chalk River Water Treatment Plant	$257,743
Machin, Township of	Upgrading of the Vermilion Bay Water Works	$129,373
Marathon, Town of	Upgrading of the Marathon Water Supply System	$33,083
Mattice-Val Côté, Township of	Upgrading of the Mattice Water Treatment Plant	$158,482
Merrickville-Wolford, Village of	Upgrading of the Merrickville Water Works	$37,643
Mississippi Mills, Town of	Upgrading of the Almonte Water Supply System	$1,489
Mono, Town of	Upgrading of Three Water Works Systems	$37,827
North Stormont, Township of	Upgrading of the Crysler, Finch and Moose Creek Well Supplies	$25,991
Oro-Medonte, Township of	Upgrading of Twelve Oro-Medonte Water Systems	$216,073
Penetanguishene, Town of	Upgrading of the Gilwood, LePage, Payette and Pine Grove Well Supplies	$58,987
Perth, Town of	Upgrading of the Perth Water Treatment Plant	$5,336
Prince Edward, County of	Upgrading of Four Well Supply Systems	$17,688
Renfrew, Town of	Upgrading of the Renfrew Water System	$16,583
Smith-Ennismore-Lakefield, Township of	Upgrading of the Lakefield Water Treatment Plant	$331,891
Temiskaming Shores, City of	Upgrading of the Haileybury Water Treatment Plant	$88,426
Trent Hills, Municipality of	Upgrading of the Campbellford, Hastings and Warkworth Water Treatment Plants	$404,377
Wellington North, Township of	Upgrading of the Mount Forest and Arthur Well Supplies	$83,980
West Nipissing, Municipality of	Upgrading of the Sturgeon Falls and Verner Water Treatment Plants	$252,367
Total Number: 42	Total Financial Support:	$3,075,760

For more information on the OPWP, please send an email to OPWP-PEPO@ic.gc.ca