Winnipeg Mayor’s Optimistic Deal to Upgrade Sewage Plant Not Far Away – Winnipeg | The Canadian News

Mayor Brian Bowman says he hopes that an agreement between the city and the province is not too far off when it comes to funding updates to the North End Water Pollution Control Center.

The sewer plant is in the midst of millions of dollars in improvements, but the city needs federal and provincial money to move to the next phase.

With the recent inauguration of new Prime Minister Heather Stefanson, the Mayor said he expects communication with his provincial counterparts to develop more smoothly than in the past.

“The City of Winnipeg had to go through the province in order to access federal as well as provincial funds. We made that request in 2019 and I am optimistic. The delays that we have seen to date have been under a different prime minister, ”Bowman said.

“We have a new release that has reached a much more collaborative tone.”

On Wednesday, the city’s executive policy committee heard a report that even if the updates began immediately, it would take years to complete.

Bowman said the province has wanted a private company to get involved in the improvements, which is still open for discussion.

“Previously, there had been discussions about full privatization, including operation and maintenance. That was not something we made the market sound like, ”the mayor told Global News.

“We’re looking for other … models for your consideration, and we hope they’re good at that and we can get going.”

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