Canada-Quebec partnership generates benefits for Louiseville

Louiseville, Quebec, March 15, 2010 – The Honourable Christian Paradis, federal Minister of Natural Resources and Member of Parliament for Mégantic–L’Érable, and Jean Paul Diamond, Parliamentary Assistant and MNA for Maskinongé, on behalf of the Honourable Laurent Lessard, Quebec Minister of Municipal Affairs, Regions and Land Occupancy, are pleased to announce a joint funding contribution of $1,632,030 to the City of Louiseville under the federal provincial agreement relative to the Programme de renouvellement des conduites (PRECO). Including the municipality’s contribution, this investment of approximately $2,448,045 will enable the City of Louiseville to undertake major infrastructure repairs.

“Through the federal contribution to PRECO, the Government of Canada is helping to create jobs and stimulate the economy,” said Minister Paradis. “Today’s announcement is a tangible example of the close collaboration between the federal and provincial governments and the municipalities to ensure that all PRECO funds are put to work as quickly as possible. Less than a year after the March 2009 announcement by Prime Minister Harper and Premier Charest in Lévis, we have secured a joint contribution by the two governments of over $700 million.”

“Through PRECO, the City of Louiseville will be able to consolidate its drinking water distribution and wastewater collection systems, which will improve the quality of life of its citizens. These major investments also help to support a number of jobs in the Mauricie Region, thus ensuring the sustainable development of a prosperous Quebec,” added MNA Jean-Paul Diamond.

Simple and innovative, the PRECO program allows Quebec municipalities to repair or replace their drinking water and wastewater pipes. Investment priorities are set by municipalities in accordance with an action plan they submit to the Quebec Department of Municipal Affairs, Regions and Land Occupancy. The decision on whether to repair or replace the pipes is left up to the municipalities, thus giving them greater autonomy. The underground pipe networks of all of Quebec’s municipalities total some 80,000 kilometres in length, and their estimated value is in excess of $60 billion.

The governments of Canada and Quebec have earmarked a total of $700 million for projects to be funded under this program. Including municipal contributions, over $1 billion will be available for eligible projects, which must be completed by December 31, 2010.

The Government of Canada’s contribution to PRECO comes from the $4 billion Infrastructure Stimulus Fund, which is part of Canada’s Economic Action Plan announced in the January 2009 budget.

The Government of Quebec’s $350 million contribution comes out of the Plan québécois des infrastructures, which was enhanced in January 2009 and now has a budget of nearly $42 billion for a number of infrastructure renewal projects in Quebec over the next five years.

Additional information:

For additional information on infrastructure investments, go to www.creatingjobs.gc.ca and www.infrastructures.gouv.qc.ca.

For additional information on Canada’s Economic Action Plan, go to www.plandaction.gc.ca.

For additional information on the Plan québécois des infrastructures, visit http://www.tresor.gouv.qc.ca/en/publications/expenditure-budget/.

Sources:

Jacques Fauteux
Office of the Minister of Transport
and Infrastructure Canada
613-991-0700

Marc H. Plante
Political Attaché
Office of the Member of the National Assembly for Maskinongé
819-228-9722