Sewage Treatment Improved Through Gas Tax Funding

Scoudouc, New Brunswick, August 26, 2008 - Today, the governments of Canada and New Brunswick participated in a sod-turning ceremony to mark the beginning of construction of an extended sanitary sewer line and expanded lagoon that will provide Scoudouc residents with improved sewage treatment.

The Government of Canada is providing $3,547,350 in funding under the Canada-New Brunswick Agreement on the Transfer of Federal Gas Tax Revenues. The Greater Shediac Sewerage Commission is contributing $832,095 to the project, for a total of $4,379,445.

Mr. Rob Moore, Member of Parliament for Fundy–Royal, on behalf of the Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, and the Honourable Victor Boudreau, Minister of Finance, on behalf of the Honourable Carmel Robichaud, Minister of Local Government, took part in the sod-turning ceremony in Scoudouc.

"Providing New Brunswickers with a clean and safe environment is a priority for the Government of Canada and that is why we are proud to work with the Government of New Brunswick towards this goal," said MP Moore. "With funding through the gas tax, residents of Scoudouc will have access to higher quality public infrastructure that will contribute to their well-being and improve the health of the environment."

"It is important for our government to continue working with the federal government and regional partners like the Greater Shediac Sewerage Commission to provide communities with adequate infrastructure throughout the province, including residents of Scoudouc," said Minister Boudreau. "By improving community infrastructure, today’s event is another step in achieving self-sufficiency as a province by 2026."

The new system includes the extension of the sanitary sewer line along Route 132, to the subdivision near Highway 15, including Harbour View, Crustation and Seeview Streets. This extension will allow the connection of approximately 80 households that are currently on private septic treatment systems. The upgrade will also require adding capacity to the existing treatment lagoon system with an additional aerated lagoon cell.

New Brunswick communities will receive $116.1 million from the Gas Tax Fund from 2005 to 2010, to which the Government of New Brunswick will add $30 million. Following the 2007 Federal Budget, a further $178.5 million in gas tax funding will flow to New Brunswick communities from 2010 to 2014, for a total of $294.6 million in federal funding over nine years.

The Scoudouc sewer line and lagoon project is part of a five-year Capital Investment Plan developed for Unincorporated areas by the Department of Local Government of New Brunswick under the Gas Tax Revenue agreement.

In December 2007, the governments of Canada and New Brunswick announced the signing of the Building Canada Framework Agreement. With this agreement, the Government of Canada committed to an investment of more than $541 million towards infrastructure needs in New Brunswick from 2007 to 2014, including the Gas Tax funding. In addition, in Budget 2008, the Government of Canada announced that the Gas Tax Fund will become permanent from 2014, at $2 billion per year for provinces and territories. This will facilitate long-term planning by municipalities.

Karine White
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities
613-991-0700

Daniel Lessard
Public Affairs Officer
Department of Local Government
Province of New Brunswick
506-444-4693

Infrastructure Canada
Communications
613-948-1148