Skip to content

Funding to shore up wastewater facilities in Sicamous

MLA Greg Kyllo presented the $660,000 provincial portion from the Clean Water and Wastewater Fund
web1_170329-EVN--Water-works
Water works. MLA Greg Kyllo, left, presents staff and members of council with $660,000, the provincial portion of funding to upgrade wastewater facilities in Sicamous. From left is Malcolm Makayev, Todd Kyllo, Jeff Mallmes, Mayor Terry Rysz, Evan Parliament, Janna Simons, Kelly Bennett, Stantec engineer Greg Shaw, Joe McCulloch and Gord Bushell. -Image credit: Heather Black

Wastewater in Sicamous is getting a flood of funding for facility upgrades.

MLA Greg Kyllo presented the $660,000 provincial portion from the Clean Water and Wastewater Fund to the district last Tuesday, with the $2 million project also funded by the federal government and district. Joint projects such as this used to be funded with all parties paying a third each but the federal government recently increased its portion to 50 per cent, leaving the province and municipalities to pay 25 per cent each. While other provinces welcomed the change, the B.C. Liberals, Kyllo proudly relayed, have maintained their 33 per cent contribution leaving local governments to cover just 17 per cent.

“This reduces the tax burden to the municipality,” Kyllo said. “It’s all about supporting small communities.”

These needed upgrades are the result of council engaging in conversations and petitioning at such meetings as the Southern Interior Local Government Association (SILGA) and the Union of B.C. Municipalities (UBCM) where municipalities can take their needs to the next level of government.

“The support of these different conferences are just so important to the community,” Mayor Terry Rysz stated. “The province has been amazing for this little community.”

Infrastructure upgrades such as this are all about building capacity, allowing for more development within the community as the system can handle more. Clean water and wastewater management is a core service that communities depend on to grow and help ensure sustainability principles are met while improving community vibrancy, resiliency and attractiveness.

“As part of our province’s commitment to providing residents with potable water and sustainable sewage systems, we have partnered with the federal government in investing $310 million throughout B.C. to provide this critical infrastructure,” Kyllo said. “I am glad to see the nearly $1.7 million commitment to upgrade the existing facilities in Sicamous.”

After the announcement for funding in the district, Kyllo headed south to Enderby to deliver the $217,602 provincial portion of $547,302 the city received from the same fund for work on the Shuswap River Water Main Crossing.