The Manitoba government is increasing its funding — by $30 million — for the mega-project to upgrade Winnipeg’s north end sewage treatment plant.
The city, provincial and federal governments had a funding deal to complete the second phase of the project for $553 million before the price soared to $1.035 billion. The city has said it needs significant funding from the province and Ottawa to cover that increased cost.
“This is a portion of what the province would need to contribute. I acknowledge that. I recognize that, and I’m grateful for the announcement,” Mayor Scott Gillingham told reporters Thursday.
JOHN WOODS / FREE PRESS FILES
Construction of the new North End Sewage Treatment facility continues in June.
“We need the federal government to prioritize the north end plant. I’ve said before, it’s very urgent. We’re going to run out of (sewage treatment) capacity if we don’t get this plant built.”
The mayor said city residents will have to pay unprecedented water and sewer rates if the city has to “go this alone.”
“If ratepayers have to pay the full amount of the cost increases alone, we will see substantial increases to water and sewer rates like we’ve never seen before,” he said.
Municipal Relations Minister Glen Simard called the funding “a really strong signal of our commitment” to the upgrades.
“It’s not enough. I’m sure they’re hoping to see more,” Progressive Conservative MLA and municipal and northern relations critic Trevor King said of the city.
The additional $30 million this fiscal year brings the total provincial commitment for Phase 2 of the upgrade project to $197.4 million.
Phase 2 of the project will involve the construction of a new facility for biosolids, a nutrient-rich byproduct that can be used as fertilizer.
The overall upgrade project is intended to reduce nitrogen and phosphorous in the water released into the Red River, to protect the health of Lake Winnipeg, and is required under a provincial Environment Act licence. A City of Winnipeg public service report in June suggested the price of the plant upgrade had increased to about $3 billion.
The provincial government is giving the City of Winnipeg a total of $46 million in the 2024-25 fiscal year for Phase 2. To date, the province has committed a total of $294.1 million for the first two phases of the project.
fpcity@freepress.mb.ca