CIB Commits $140M to New Water and Wastewater Infrastructure in Manitoba

April 8, 2024

The Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) is loaning a combined up to $140 million to support five communities with water and wastewater infrastructure projects in Manitoba. This green infrastructure partnership will enable construction of new facilities which will deliver cleaner water and better wastewater treatment for approximately 78,000 housing units, while supporting the communities’ sustainable growth.

Investment commitments have been made with the City of Brandon and to the Red-Seine-Rat (RSR) Wastewater Cooperative, comprised of the Rural Municipality of Taché, Rural Municipality of Hanover, Rural Municipality of Ritchot, Town of Niverville, and City of Brandon.

The municipalities are further supported with funding from the Province of Manitoba and Infrastructure Canada through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program. The Province of Manitoba acted as an aggregator, supporting and coordinating with the municipal partners.

All water and wastewater infrastructure will continue to remain publicly owned and operated by the municipalities, who remain responsible for the delivery of these essential projects.

Modern water treatment infrastructure is a critical public service for residents who depend on potable water for drinking, cooking, and washing, alongside meeting requirements for public, commercial, and industrial activities. Improved wastewater treatment systems provide opportunities for sustainable growth while protecting Canada’s freshwater resources for the benefit of people and wildlife.

Enabled by the partnership with the CIB, the communities can deliver on their growth planning for residential, industrial, and commercial developments, while ensuring compliance with regulatory standards.

Together, the projects will provide the necessary enabling infrastructure capacity for the addition of approximately 2,300 new housing units in Brandon and 12,600 new housing units in RSR.

The new water and wastewater infrastructure will supply communities, businesses, and industries with potable water, as well as collect, treat, and discharge wastewater to manage storm water runoff. Specific details of the Brandon and RSR projects include the following.

• City of Brandon:
  • The Water Treatment Facility Upgrade and Expansion project will enable Manitoba’s second-largest city to provide potable water that meets and exceeds the standards set by the Manitoba Office of Drinking Water. 
  • The Southwest Brandon Wastewater Servicing project will help expand coverage of existing wastewater processing facility to accommodate residential and commercial demand in this growing region of the City. 
• RSR (Municipalities of Taché, Hanover, Ritchot, and the Town of Niverville):
  • The project will provide the communities with a new centralized wastewater treatment plant, moving away from traditional wastewater lagoons to mechanized wastewater treatment.  
  • The project will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 55,300 tonnes over its life, and add the significant additional capacity required to support some of the fastest growing communities in Manitoba. 
  • The RSR project will also include installation of a wastewater conveyance system with approximately 90 kilometres of effluent pipeline, as well as new lift and pump stations. 

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