Because Metro Vancouver is a growing region, core infrastructure needs to be expanded to be able to accommodate that growth. While water and sewer services aren’t headline-grabbing, they are critical to keeping this region functioning, and they require a significant amount of investment.
For example, Metro Vancouver recently completed the $820 million Capilano-Seymour water project to meet our region's increased water demand.
The regional district is working with both the provincial and federal governments to get funding in place to build the $700 million Lions Gate Wastewater Treatment Plant on the North Shore.
Closer to home, around $275 million is being invested in building a new water tunnel under the Fraser River near the Port Mann Bridge to ensure the delivery of safe drinking water to the rapidly growing South of Fraser.
In Langley, work is now beginning to plan for the expansion of the Northwest Langley Wastewater Treatment Plant. A $6.7 million contract will likely be award to CH2M Hill Canada as part of the treatment plant expansion. This also includes a new pump station in Maple Ridge. This is part of a larger $800 million dollar East Fraser Serving and Treatment project to support growth in Langley, Pitt Meadows, and Maple Ridge.
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| Components of the East Fraser Servicing and Treatment project. Select image to enlarge. |
These few projects that I outlined total about $2.5 billion, and are only a sample of the many projects that the Metro Vancouver regional district is working on. While the provincial and federal governments do provide some capital funding for these project, the remainder is funded via property tax.
Water and sewer infrastructure is critical to our region’s livability, and will require a significant amount of investment over the next decade to ensure it can meet the needs of our growing region.
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