Question Period Note: WINNIPEG NORTH END WATER POLLUTION CONTROL CENTRE PROJECT

The City of Winnipeg’s intention to request a transfer of federal funding within the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program in order to fund Phase One and Two of the City’s North End Water Pollution Centre’s Upgrade

• The Government of Canada is committed to working with provincial and municipal governments to bring forward projects providing wide public benefits, such as the North End Water Pollution Centre Upgrades.

• As part of the infrastructure plan, Infrastructure Canada has committed $1.17 billion through an Integrated Bilateral Agreement between Manitoba and the federal government signed in June 2018.

• Infrastructure Canada’s programs are designed to be flexible and responsive to the needs of our partners. Under the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program, projects are first prioritized by provinces and territories before being submitted to Infrastructure Canada for its review.

• The City of Winnipeg’s North End Water Pollution Control Centre (also known as the North End Sewage Treatment Plant) is the City’s oldest and largest sewage treatment plant. It was commissioned in 1937 and provides approximately 70% of the City’s wastewater treatment. In 2003, Manitoba’s Clean Environment Commission ordered Winnipeg to improve its sewage-treatment processes.

• The City has planned an approximately $1.8 billion three phase upgrade to the wastewater treatment plant: Phase One - a power supply and headworks facilities upgrade which includes additional power for the facility; Phase Two - a biosolids facilities upgrade which will include a new facility to turn wastewater sludge into biosolids; and Phase Three - a nutrient removal facilities upgrade with a new facility to remove nitrogen and phosphorus from the wastewater.

• The City has applied to the Province of Manitoba to access federal funding under the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP) for the headworks portion of Phase One and the biosolids facilities upgrade under Phase Two. There is currently no timelines or source of funding identified for Phase Three.

• The City’s executive policy committee is expected to pass a motion on September 21, 2020 to request a transfer of $321.24 million from its sub-allocation under the public transit infrastructure stream to the green infrastructure stream under ICIP to help fund the estimated $908.8 million project costs for Phase One and Two.

• The City is also requesting up to $267.68 million in provincial funding for the Project for which Manitoba has committed $182.8 million.

• The City would have access to approximately $203.61 million remaining in its sub-allocation under the public transit infrastructure stream. Under the Canada-Manitoba Integrated Bilateral Agreement (IBA), Manitoba must contribute a minimum of 33.33% in funding for municipal projects, including public transit projects.

• Manitoba has the ability to transfer funding out of the public transit infrastructure stream through upcoming amendments to IBA focused on responding to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

• While the project has not been submitted to INFC, Manitoba has included the first two phases of this project in their list of prioritized projects for funding under the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program.

• To date, three projects have been approved and 7% of the federal funding envelope committed to Manitoba projects under ICIP.

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