UXBRIDGE — Across the country, Canadians are feeling the impacts of COVID-19 on their families, their livelihoods, and their way of life. Together, the governments of Canada and Ontario are taking decisive action to support families, businesses and communities to ensure community infrastructure is safe and reliable, while looking ahead to see what more can be done in these unprecedented times.

Today, the Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, Jennifer O’Connell, Member of Parliament for Pickering–Uxbridge; the Honourable Kinga Surma, Ontario’s Minister of Infrastructure; and His Worship Dave Barton, Mayor of the Township of Uxbridge, announced joint funding for 19 green infrastructure projects across Ontario.

The Government of Canada is investing over $16 million in these projects through the Green Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada plan. The Government of Ontario is providing over $13 million, and municipalities are contributing over $14 million to their respective projects.

Among the projects announced is the rehabilitation and upgrade of the Forsythe West Stormwater Management Facility in Uxbridge. The existing stormwater pond will be modified to increase stormwater management capacity. This includes installing stormwater storage and infiltration tanks, new concrete pipes, maintenance holes, and new headwalls to direct water flow and protect roads and embankments from erosion.

In Larder Lake, funding will support Phase 2 of the Larder Lake Road reconstruction project. The project includes replacing all damaged watermains, sections of sanitary sewer, repairing maintenance holes, and completing the rehabilitation of degraded infrastructure along 1.7 kilometres of Larder Lake Road. This project will help improve the quality of life in rural Larder Lake by eliminating health risks and preventing hazardous conditions that could impact the community and the environment.

The project in Laurentian Hills will see upgrades to its wastewater treatment facility. Work includes the replacement of the sewage, clarifier and aeration equipment, and the relining of the grit channel. New components will also be added to the facility including SCADA systems, a chlorine contact chamber, flocculants and coagulants, and additional sludge holding capacity. Once completed, this project will help reduce the discharge of untreated sewage, reduce phosphorous levels into the receiving stream, and allow the plant to operate more efficiently.

Additional investments in other green infrastructure projects across Ontario include upgrades to drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater facilities and infrastructure, the replacement of old pipes, in addition to road, curbs, and sidewalk upgrades, and other improvements to existing water distribution systems.

All orders of government continue to work together for the people of Ontario to make strategic infrastructure investments in communities across the province when needed most.