SYDNEY, N.S. — An updated funding agreement with the province means it will pay the municipal portion for a number of planned wastewater projects in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality.
In a March 26 letter to Mayor Cecil Clarke, Lloyd Hines, minister of transportation and infrastructure renewal, noted the province had endorsed a contribution agreement for the projects last September that included a provincial contribution of one-third of the cost. However, now the province has agreed to also cover the municipal share and pay a total of 60 per cent of the project costs, with Ottawa paying the remainder.
In total, the provincial share would be a maximum of almost $59 million and the total cost of the work would be almost $98 million.
The total project is expected to take seven years.
A motion of council supporting the signing of the letter was required by March 27 and was dealt with at an emergency council meeting last week.
Supporting documentation provided to council notes the three main components are design and construction of two high-risk water systems in Glace Bay and Port Morien; replacing the Battery Point UV disinfection system in Sydney; and installation of a UV disinfection system at four existing wastewater treatment lagoons.
Hines also wrote that to alleviate cash flow pressures, the province would advance $6 million from its share to the CBRM.
The province will also contribute up to 50 per cent, to a maximum of $4 million, toward upgrading underground water and wastewater infrastructure around Glace Bay, conditional on an application for funding to Ottawa.
The Glace Bay projects are in areas including Union Street, Highland Street, Connaught Avenue, Mechanic Street, Phalen Road, Gannon Street, King Edward Street, McKeen Street, Dominion Street, Brookside Street and Wallace Road.
