The District of Lakeland has received the green light to finish some work that started 10 years ago. (File photo/ paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

Local infrastructure

Prince Albert region to benefit from over $2 million in infrastructure funding

Apr 2, 2021 | 12:00 PM

A number of infrastructure projects in the Prince Albert region can now go ahead, as a result of a recent federal-provincial funding announcement.

Over $53 million in joint funding has been earmarked for 24 recreation and green infrastructure projects across Saskatchewan. The District of Lakeland’s portion works out to over $250,000 and will be used to help provide the final cover at the McPhee Lake landfill site.

Administrator Tammy Knuttila explained the District used to operate three landfills but about 10 years ago when the province heightened their regulations (or started enforcing them), the District started the process of decommissioning the landfills and establishing a transfer station at the Emma Lake site.

“The Anglin lake landfill has been completely decommissioned and covered and we do semi annual soil testing. The Emma Lake landfill has stopped accepting material and we are in the process of covering it,” she said.

Knuttila went on explain the McPhee lake landfill has been closed to the public for a number of years and material is only accepted from Elk Ridge and Prince Albert National Park during the summer.

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“The material is only going into one cell that will be covered when full. All the other cells have been compacted and covered. The grant we have been approved for is to cover that last cell over the next few years,” she said.

Other local communities benefitting from the funding announcement are the Town of Spiritwood and Sturgeon Lake First Nation.

Spiritwood was approved for over $1.5 million for the decommissioning and replacement of two sewage pumping stations. Sturgeon Lake First Nation is receiving over $300,000 to help install some new playground equipment.

Providing communities with reliable, ecofriendly, and sustainable infrastructure has been a shared priority for both governments. In total, the Government of Canada is investing more than $31.1 million in these 24 projects through the Investing in Canada plan, with the Government of Saskatchewan providing more than $22.7 million. Contributions by recipients toward their respective projects are more than $7.2 million.

“From swimming pools to solar projects, the Government of Canada is taking actions to support families, businesses, and the economy in Saskatchewan and across the country now, so that we can build resilient communities for years to come,” Minister Jim Carr, the Prime Minister’s Special Representative for the Prairies, said in a statement earlier this week. “The funding announced today will help communities build back better, create jobs, and build cleaner, more inclusive communities.”

The biggest benefactor from this week’s announcement may perhaps be Cowessess First Nation southeast of Regina, receiving over $3.4 million.

Two solar energy projects, including the Awasis Solar Project on land owned by Cowessess First Nation southeast of Regina, will supply clean energy directly to the Saskatchewan electrical grid.

SaskPower is also set to implement a battery energy storage project that will help to balance the power system during power demand spikes and support intermittent generation options such as wind and solar.

“Cowessess First Nation strives to be an economic self-sustaining partner in the growth of the province and country,” Cowessess First Nation Chief Cadmus Delorme said. “This goal becomes a reality when the plan includes investment from the government. As the Truth and Reconciliation calls to action provide us all direction to bridge the gap, Cowessess First Nation will help this province and country in renewable energy to assure our seven generations ahead may have a sustainable place to call home.”

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nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell