The province has announced that the City of Selkirk and the RM of Ritchot will receive joint funding for important upgrades to their water and wastewater systems. The announcement was made by The Honourable Bernadette Jordan, Minister of Rural Economic Development, and the Honourable Jeff Wharton, Manitoba Minister of Municipal Relations.
In the City of Selkirk, funding will support the design and construction of a forcemain and lift station in the western part of the City. Once complete, it will reduce storm water flooding, improve wastewater treatment, and expand the treatment and collection system to make way for up to 1800 new homes in the City, as well as new commercial development.
In the RM of Ritchot, funding will support upgrades to the raw water supply system and increase the capacity of the reservoir to meet rising water use from rural residents in the RM of Ritchot, Riel Industrial park, Ste. Agathe, St. Adolphe, Île des Chênes, as well as planned future expansion of the regional water system to the community of Grande Pointe and area. These upgrades will ensure the municipality can provide potable water to the existing and future population that meets both Manitoba’s and Canada’s water quality standards and legislation.
“I, along with all of Richot council, am excited for the infrastructure funding from the governments of Canada and Manitoba,” said Chris Ewen, Mayor of Ritchot. “We look forward to seeing the project come to fruition because of the help of our federal and provincial partners.”
Both projects will be funded through the Small Communities Fund, with each partner providing one third of the eligible project costs. Canada, Manitoba and the City of Selkirk are each contributing $800,000 to the Sekirk Forcemain and Lift Station project. For the Ritchot Water Supply and Additional Reservoir Capacity Project, the RM of Ritchot, along with the federal and provincial governments, will each provide $1 million in funding.
