SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
The City of Yellowknife is getting more than $16 million from the federal government to help complete major infrastructure projects involving water and sewer lines and bus shelters.
Mayor Mark Heyck sits in his office shortly after learning that the federal government is providing the city with more than $16 million for water and sewer line upgrades, improvements to pumphouses and lift stations as well as bus
shelter upgrades. - John McFadden/NNSL photo |
The funding was announced by federal Infrastructure Minister Amarjeet Sohi and Robert C. McLeod, territorial minister responsible for infrastructure Tuesday in Edmonton.
The largest chunk of the money, $13.725 million, will go toward general water and sewer pipe replacement, according to Mayor Mark Heyck. Another $1.312 million will go toward sewage lift station no. 5 on Butler Road for piping, rehabilitation and replacement and $900,000 is for data acquisition system upgrades for pumphouses and lift stations. The federal government is also providing $320,000 for upgrades to bus shelters in the city.
Ottawa's contribution for the projects amounts to roughly 75 per cent of the total cost while the city picks up the other 25 per cent.
Heyck said the funding was requested by the city for much-needed upgrades to aging infrastructure and the announcement of its approval is music to his ears.
"We've been in discussions with MACA (Municipal and Community Affairs) who corresponds with the federal government about potential projects the City of Yellowknife is looking at that would fit the criteria of these funding pots," Heyck said.
"We'll be looking at setting aside some additional capital dollars to provide the 25 per cent contribution that municipalities in the NWT are required to."
Heyck said the city's contribution for the projects - just under $5.5 million - will come out of the 2017 and 2018 city budgets.
None of the current funding will go toward a new drinking water intake line at the bottom of Yellowknife Bay, which the city has identified as another need, the mayor said.
Heyck said council has yet to decide on whether to continue drawing drinking water from the Yellowknife River as the city currently does, or from Yellowknife Bay, which has been proposed as a cheaper alternative. He said once that's decided he is optimistic there will be federal dollars to help with that project as well.
The primary concern about Yellowknife Bay is the potential for arsenic contamination from Giant Mine. Drawing water from the bay, however, is only expected to cost the city $5 million while the price tag for replacing the submarine pipe to the Yellowknife River may reach $20 million or more.
Heyck said improvements to the lift and pumping stations are essentially technology upgrades that will allow city workers to analyze computer data to make sure the city's water and sewage infrastructure is operating safely.
The money for public transit is strictly for bus shelters, of which there are 25, said Heyck, who pointed out that the city does not own the transit buses - they are contracted out.
"We may look at installing systems like NextBus which gives people an indication when the next bus is arriving," said Heyck.
"We'll look at making them more accessible than when they were originally built because accessibility wasn't top of mind - some curb cutouts to make sure they are wheelchair accessible.
"It'll complement the new low rise buses ... Brought on a couple of years ago. If we can make the bus shelters themselves more accessible as well then that should serve our accessibility-challenged people."
Coun. Niels Konge said he is pleased the money is coming from Ottawa but added in his mind the funding model does not work to the city's benefit.
"We're a welfare state and we rely on these transfers - so pony up," said Konge.
"If we want people from coast to coast to coast - well you're going to have to make sure people on this coast can afford to be here.
"We can't afford to do it ourselves. We are not a big enough population. Give us funding that isn't special funding. Give us something that we can rely on year after year."
