Undoubtedly, the top story of 2016 is the long-awaited arrival of funding for a regional waterline.
Early on in the year, the signs started to show that money would be flowing down the pipes sooner or later. After filing an application in partnership with the MD and City of Cold Lake, for funding for the regional waterline strategy, the Town of Bonnyville was awarded a $350,000 Alberta Community Partnership (ACP) grant in March.
With the province showing their commitment to moving the project forward, talks began between the three municipalities. While there were still a lot of questions up in the air, such as if a commission was needed and who was going to oversee operations, it gave the region a starting point.
The money was also slated for a study of the lake itself to verify its sustainability as a regional water source, and ensure the project won't be disrupting any ecosystems.
“You wonder if this is the government signalling their intent to finally put some money to the waterline,” said Cold Lake Mayor Craig Copeland at the time.
As it turned out, that's exactly what they were doing. Come July, the Government of Alberta announced funding through the Water for Life Program for the regional waterline.
“For two days I was doing the happy dance. I was ecstatic. We had contacted the deputy minister to make sure the project stayed on track and we finally got word that we had a letter of approval,” Bonnyville Mayor Gene Sobolewski told the Nouvelle following the announcement.
The project got even closer to becoming a reality in the fall. Canada's Minister of Infrastructure and Communities Amarjeet Sohi, alongside Alberta's Minister of Infrastructure and Transportation Brian Mason, committed over $32.4 million to the Cold Lake Regional Utility Services Commission (RUSC) for the regional waterline.
The dollars RUSC is receiving is part of the new Clean Water and Wastewater Fund, which will see the Government of Canada provide $196.7 million to Alberta. Approved projects, such as the regional waterline, will have up to 50 per cent of the cost funded federally, while the province provides up to 40 per cent. Funding was made retroactive to April 1, 2016 to allow projects to proceed without delay.
After over a decade of waiting for movement on the waterline funding, there's no hiding the enthusiasm from local officials that it's finally in the works.
“I take a lot of pride in the fact that our communities across this riding worked together to get this waterline implemented. We've got the federal government, provincial government, and all the communities between Bonnyville and Cold Lake on board with this,” expressed Bonnyville – Cold Lake MLA Scott Cyr. “It's encouraging to see that all our communities are working together for the best interest of the riding.”
MD Reeve Ed Rondeau added, “If you go to any of those economic development seminars, the biggest thing for development of a region is good water. If there's not good water people tend to not want to live there, or move away… It's very important.”
Pleased with the progress made on the waterline in 2016, all parties involved are excited to keep forging ahead with the project in the New Year.
Sobolewski noted the engineering will be continuing into 2017, and he's “very hopeful” that the region will also see construction on the waterline this year.