Lethbridge’s mayor said the city will move quickly to pursue a share of newly announced federal funding for wastewater and water infrastructure.
Blaine Hyggen said the investment could help offset major local projects tied to future housing growth. He said the city had already approved financing for wastewater treatment upgrades, including work on its treatment facility and clarifiers, before learning of the federal announcement.
“I saw the same thing and I was like, my goodness,” Hyggen said. “So we just passed in council the loan to do this wastewater treatment facility and the clarifiers, etc.”
Hyggen said the city has already sent letters seeking financial support from other levels of government and plans to renew its request following the announcement.
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“Anytime we can get additional funding from other levels of government, you can guarantee the letters [are] going out again,” Hyggen said. “They will say you’ve set a precedent here. I think that you need to be thinking about us down south as well.”
The mayor said no funding has yet been announced for Lethbridge.
“Our letter might be a day delayed from there, so I’m hoping to see something, but if there’s not, there’ll be a letter going back the other direction for sure.”
Earlier this week, the federal and Alberta governments unveiled new funding for water and wastewater infrastructure designed to help communities accommodate additional housing.
Hyggen said he hopes Lethbridge’s planned infrastructure projects will qualify for similar support.
