Cumberland County Receives $13 Million in Infrastructure Funding

Residents of Amherst, Springhill, Oxford and Maccan will benefit from improvements to their water and wastewater systems thanks to funding under the Communities Component of the Building Canada Fund.

Federal, provincial and municipal funding of $13,399,800 was announced today, April 8, by Premier Rodney MacDonald and Senator Fred Dickson.

The projects will create local jobs and enhance local facilities and services, at a time when the need for economic stimulus is greatest.

"Today's announcement is a great example of our commitment to improve community infrastructure and stimulate our economy," said Premier MacDonald. "Through the Building for Growth plan, we are making strategic investments that will not only make our communities safer and healthier, these investments will create and preserve local jobs that will boost the local economy."

"The government of Canada recognizes the importance of infrastructure as part of our economic stimulus plan and is already delivering on projects such as those here in Cumberland County," said Senator Dickson. "We will continue to work with our provincial and municipal partners to identify important projects and ensure that they become a reality as soon as possible."

All three levels of government will equally share total project costs.

The project with the Town of Amherst includes designing and building a new wastewater treatment facility. About 3,700 households will have wastewater treated to a higher level. The project will also help eliminate raw sewage discharges into the LaPlanche River. The total cost of the project is $10,931,700.

The project with the Town of Springhill includes designing and upgrading the municipal water and wastewater services on Drummond, Church, Main and Princess streets. About 45 households will have improved drinking water. The project will also help reduce flooding and increase fire protection. The total cost of the project is $1,516,500.

The project with the Town of Oxford includes replacing water and sewer mains along Main Street. About 15 households will have improved drinking water and improved fire protection. The total cost of the project is $256,800.

The project with the Municipality of Cumberland includes designing and building a new wastewater treatment facility in the community of Maccan. About 60 households on a municipal wastewater collection system will have wastewater treated to a higher level. The project will also help eliminate raw sewage discharges into the Maccan River. The total cost of the project is $694,800.

"These investments will have direct and long-lasting impact on these four Cumberland County communities," said Lloyd Hines, president of the Union of Nova Scotia Municipalities. "We are pleased that our federal and provincial partners support these important projects that will directly benefit the residents of these communities and improve their quality of life."

Under the Communities Component of the Building Canada Fund, the federal, provincial and municipal governments anticipate investing upwards of $111 million in infrastructure projects in smaller communities across Nova Scotia, between now and 2014.