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www.insideHALTON.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Thursday, November 3, 2011 · 4 Taking steps to clean up Lake Ontario water By Nathan Howes OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Government is helping protect one of the country's most valuable natural resources by improving one of the town's wastewater treatment plants. This was a message sent by representatives of all levels of government as they celebrated the completion of a two-year project at an open house and tour Saturday. "Halton Region has a history of working together. This is a typical example of how all levels of government have come together. Lake Ontario is a world class lake and we're going to make sure we protect it," said Regional Chair Gary Carr. Improvements made will ensure wastewater entering Lake Ontario continues to meet high standards, while providing safe and efficient wastewater treatment. The new facility will use non-toxic effluent, instead of chlorine, to treat wastewater. Funding for the $50.2-million project was divided between the federal, provincial and municipal governments. Two-thirds of the contribution was made through the Infrastructure Stimulus Fund (ISF). "The upgraded plant will greatly improve the management of wastewater in the region, providing reliable service to residents and preventing the risk of sewer overment suppliers. The completion of the facility upgrades also represents the end of the ISF, which has created 23,000 infrastructure projects across Canada, Young said. "Since 2009, Canada's Economic Action Plan has been an overwhelming success and we remain steadfast in our commitment to infrastructure funding," said Young. "We still have the $33-billion Rebuilding Canada Plan, which is continuing to develop results for 2014. Oakville received more than $60 million from Canada's Economic Action Plan for infrastructure." The plant captures all of west Oakville's wastewater, north to the QEW, and then discharges to Lake Ontario. It will be able to handle up to 45 million litres of wastewater per day and is one of only seven sewage treatment plants in Halton. "This used to be an area where our basements would flood on a regular basis. We had to deal with that and, certainly, with the overflow to the lake from time to time. It was something we didn't want to see," said Oakville MPP Kevin Flynn. "I think the changes that are being made here are something that is quite substantial." "We take it for granted when we turn on our taps, when we flush our toilets -- all the See Upgrades page 5 ERIC RIEHL / OAKVILLE BEAVER MAKING IMPROVEMENTS: Halton Region invited the community to a behind-the-scenes open house to celebrate the completion of the upgrades at the Oakville Southwest Wastewater Treatment Plant. Here, Regional Chair Gary Carr, MP Terence Young, MPP Kevin Flynn and Mayor Rob Burton tour the plant. flows into Lake Ontario," said Oakville MP Terence Young. "We're very proud to be contributing more than $16.7 million towards this project through the Infrastructure Stimulus Fund (ISF), as well as $6.1 million through the Gas Tax Fund." Since construction, the project has been employing an average of 30­120 temporary jobs per quarter, from contractors to equip- THE LAURIER MBA 15 years in Toronto's financial district. · Thorough, consistent and reliable home cleaning · 100% satisfaction guaranteed · Regular and occasional service · Spring Cleaning · Gift Certificates e-mail: anderson@mollymaid.ca ATTEND A LAURIER MBA INFORMATION SESSION Thursday, y Nov. 10 | 12 p.m. & 5:30 p.m. Laurier's Toronto MBA Campus Sun Life Financial Tower 150 King Street West, 27th floor Saturday, y Nov. 12 | 11 a.m. Holiday Inn "Argus Room" 590 Argus Road (Oakville at Trafalgar) Oakville Part time weekend Tor T onto Programs Full time Waterloo Programs Contact Maureen at mferraro@wlu.ca VAC H ealth Identifi c a ti o n Cards Welco me MBA The Best Business Schools in the World The w w w. l a u r i e r m b a . c a Certified Management Accountants (905) 681-7484 Contact us today for a free, no-obligation, in-home estimate: