Mayor Don Darling announces $10.3 million of city funding in infrastructure upgrades. (Image: Zoom video capture)
Saint John’s water and wastewater infrastructure will receive a much-needed upgrade.
Today, the federal, provincial and municipal government’s announced nearly $39 million in funding to revamp the city’s aging water and sewer systems.
Mayor Don Darling said the work would mean some of the country’s oldest pipes will be replaced.
“Saint John had the first water and sewer system in the nation,” said Mayor Don Darling. “Some of the pipes that will be replaced through this work are dated from the 1870s.”
The city’s portion of the funding will be $10.3 million, while the province is on the hook for $12.9 million, and Ottawa will kick in the remaining $15.5 million.
The sewer upgrades will include excavation and repairing the water and pipe systems, in addition to designing and constructing new wastewater infrastructure.
The project will also see more than seven kilometres of roadway restored.
An online announcement for the funding Wednesday featured Mayor Darling, as well as remarks from Saint John Harbour MLA Arlene Dunn, and Saint John-Rothesay MP Wayne Long.
Dunn said between this and the recently announced Fundy Quay funding, the future is bright for development and trades work in the city.
“These major upgrades will rejuvenate uptown Saint John and position the city for future growth and economic development,” said Dunn.
Long said the recent announcements set the city up for more growth moving forward.
“Once complete, these infrastructure upgrades will provide residents with safe and reliable drinking water, and prepare the community for future growth and development,” the MP said.
Work is expected to begin this spring, with tenders potentially going out over the next few weeks.
“Most of this work is concentrated, if not all of it, on the central peninsula,” Darling said.
He listed Waterloo Street, Princess Street, St. James Street, Lower Cove Loop, Germain Street, Broad Avenue, and Wentworth Street as areas that would see work in 2021, with further areas seeing work next year.
