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Canada’s Minister of Public
Works, the Honourable Christian Paradis,
and Quebec’s Minister of Labour and for
the Laurentian Region, David Whissell,
representing Municipal Affairs and
Regions Minister Laurent Lessard, are
pleased to announce a combined grant
of $1,184,650 dollars to the Town of
Rosemere as part of PRECO, a federalprovincial
water pipeline renewal program.
PRECO program
With Rosemere’s contribution, the total
investment amounts to $1,776,975, which
will facilitate important infrastructure
work in the town. “Through the federal
government’s contribution to PRECO, the
government of Canada will be facilitating
the creation of jobs while stimulating the
economy,” Paradis said.
“Today’s announcement is a tangible
example of the commitment of our government
to invest $936 million of the
infrastructure stimulus fund in projects in
Quebec, of which $350 million as part of
the PRECO program to revitalise drinking
water conducts and sewers everywhere in
Quebec.”
Jobs also created
“Thanks to PRECO, the Town of Rosemere
will be able to consolidate its network for
drinking water and for water which has
been used, which will add to the quality
of life of its citizens,” said Whissell. “This
major investment will also support many
jobs in the Laurentian region, thus assuring
the sustainable development of a prosperous
Quebec.”
The development comes some three
months after a previous announcement
on March 26 prioritizing PRECO, made
by the country’s prime minister, Stephen
Harper, and Quebec’s premier, Jean
Charest. The launch of PRECO on April 6
manifested itself with a joint contribution
by Canada and Quebec of some $700 million.
With the contributions of municipalities,
more than $1 billion are being made
available for projects taking place over the
next two years.
Municipalities choose
PRECO is program that is permitting
municipalities in Quebec to carry out
important repair or replacement work on
their drinking water distribution pipes
and sewers. Investment priorities will be
determined by the municipalities based
on an intervention plan they will be
presenting to the province’s Ministry of
Municipal Affairs, Regions and Territorial
Occupation. The municipalities themselves
have the responsibility to choose
between rehabilitation or replacement of
their conducts, which gives them greater
freedom.
It should be noted that the network of
underground conducts in Quebec covers
more than 80,000 kilometres and has an
estimated worth of more than $60 billion.
The government of Canada’s contribution
to PRECO comes from the new infrastructure
stimulus fund worth more than $4 billion,
which is part of Canada’s economic
stimulus plan which was announced in the
government’s January 2009 budget.
The federal government has set aside
more than $350 million from this fund
for projects associated with PRECO. The
contribution of $350 million by the government
of Quebec comes from the province’s
own infrastructure renewal plan,
which was enacted last January and holds
$42 billion for the renewal of infrastructure
all over the province over the next
five years.
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