THUNDER BAY – After two major floods in the last five years, the city is getting nearly $8.3 million in welcomed infrastructure relief from both senior levels of government.
At a Wednesday morning news conference at city hall, it was announced Thunder Bay has received 75 per cent funding for 34 projects from the federal and provincial governments through the bilateral Clean Water and Wastewater Fund.
The announcement clears up uncertainty about funding sources for $15 million worth of contracts that were awarded earlier this month that were all counting on contributing dollars from Ottawa. City council at their May 8 meeting voted to take $3.8 million from the stabilization reserve fund to cover the federal portion as they awaited results of their funding applications.
Kerri Marshall, the city’s general manager of infrastructure and operations, said all of those applications have been given the green light.
“Certainly, we’re very pleased we’re now able to not need to use those funds and that we can proceed with the projects with this funding,” Marshall said.
The federal government is putting forward $5.5 million, which represents 50 per cent of the project costs of the applications. Ontario is chipping in $2.7 million – 25 per cent – with the city responsible for the remaining balance.
The approved projects include a new storm sewer from the McIntyre River to Balmoral Street and north to John Street, twin relief storm sewer and outfall for the Neebing River at James Street to Churchill Drive as well as the design and construction of up to 10 low impact development storm water management facilities.
Marshall said one of the significant items is a hydraulic engineering drainage study of the Intercity area, which will receive $312,000 from the federal government and $156,000 from the province.
“It will help to inform our plans for future improvements to help with the concerns around flooding that we’ve seen in the events of 2012 and 2016,” Marshall said.
MP Patty Hajdu (Lib., Thunder Bay-Superior North) said flooding is an issue that is top of mind for many city residents, adding her home was affected in both 2012 and 2016.
“I can tell you it is life altering,” Hajdu said.
“I was very fortunate to have insurance but many families did not have adequate insurance or any insurance at all or their particular flooding wasn’t covered by their insurance. There were a number of scenarios. When we don’t have appropriate infrastructure it can really disrupt the lives of families and communities.”
In addition to Thunder Bay, projects were approved in communities across Northwestern Ontario such as Atikokan, Fort Frances, Kenora, Dryden, Ignace, Marathon and Nipigon.
Provincial Municipal Affairs Minister Bill Mauro said for smaller municipalities in his riding such as Neebing, O’Connor and Gillies, having to foot the bill for 50 per cent of infrastructure projects could be too prohibitive.
“All of these small communities have very limited tax bases and generally very large land bases,” Mauro said. “For us to be able to help them with their infrastructure needs, is even more important than in cities like Thunder Bay that have more financial capacity.”
Hajdu described the initiative as an example of green infrastructure that help lay the “foundation of healthy communities.”
“There’s a number of different ways things and projects can be designed with a mind to how we reduce the load on the environment and how we prepare for a changing climate,” Hajdu said. “We’re talking about flooding, this is a result of climate change. It allows communities to become more resilient in the process.”
Marshall said all of the projects will get underway this year and be “substantially complete” within the end of the construction season.
