Ottawa spends more than $2.5M to upgrade water infrastructure in Cornwall, P.E.I

A water tower in the Town of Cornwall, Prince Edward Island is pictured. (CTV Atlantic / Serena Rodgers)

The federal government announced more than $2.5 million for a project to upgrade water infrastructure in Cornwall, P.E.I., on Thursday.

Announced by Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Heath MacDonald on Thursday, the project would extend the water and wastewater mains in the town to support growing development.

“By investing in essential water and wastewater infrastructure in Cornwall, we are strengthening resilience of the community while promoting sustainability, and enhancing the overall quality of life for Cornwall residents,” said MacDonald in a news release.

The project would see the construction of 600 metres of water and wastewater infrastructure on Cornwall Road with the hopes of addressing rapid population growth and housing shortages.

“The Cornwall Road water and wastewater extension is a critical investment in Cornwall’s future. This project will provide the infrastructure needed to support new housing and commercial growth, while ensuring our community continues to develop in a responsible and sustainable way,” said Cornwall Mayor Minerva McCourt.

The spending is part of the federal government’s Build Communities Strong Fund, which would give a total of $51 billion over a decade to support several infrastructure projects. These could include project which support:

• economic prosperity
• housing
• sport
• education
• health
• transit
• climate adaptation

“Building a strong Canada starts with building strong communities. With the new Build Communities Strong Fund, we are investing to build reliable infrastructure at a speed and scale not seen in generations – the roads, hospitals, schools, and water systems that support people, create jobs, and foster connected communities,” said Housing and Infrastructure Minister Gregor Robertson.

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