Ottawa kicks in $5M for Headingley water reservoir project

The federal government announced Tuesday it is investing in a Headingley water reservoir, as Winnipeg struggles to lock down funding to get its massive sewage treatment plant project to the finish line.

Winnipeg West MP Doug Eyolfson was in the RM of Headingley Tuesday afternoon to announce $5 million in direct funding for the construction of a water reservoir and pumping station through the federal Build Communities Strong Fund, which will distribute $51 billion across the country over 10 years.

Headingley is one of 13 communities in Canada, and the only one in Manitoba, that announced it was receiving direct funding for infrastructure projects through the fund.

“This has been a growing community for quite some time. And when you have a community that’s growing without investing in the vital infrastructure — like water and waste — then it’s going to be more difficult,” Eyolfson said.

“So this is going to be quite a positive in the sustainability of the continued growth of this community.”

The project, estimated to cost nearly $11 million, is expected to be completed by January. It will add 3,600 cubic metres of water storage and 65 litres per second of pumping capacity to the water system, supporting the development of 1,771 new housing units, fire protection on the east end of the municipality and future growth in First Nations communities around the RM.

The project previously received funding from the province, but the federal money means costs that would have been passed on to ratepayers will now be covered — especially meaningful, considering the project’s price has nearly doubled from when it was first proposed five years ago, said Headingley Coun. Blaine Clapham.

“For smaller municipalities, it’s hard to justify spending that amount of money, even though you need the infrastructure,” he said. “So any time you can get any assistance, it just helps move it along.”

Meanwhile, in Winnipeg, the long-awaited third and final phase of North End sewage treatment plant upgrades awaits additional money.

The $3.1-billion project was left out of the 2026 provincial budget and, on Monday, environmentalists and city councilors told the Free Press the costs could end up on Winnipeggers’ water bills without a commitment from the provincial or federal governments.

However, during an unrelated news conference Tuesday, Mayor Scott Gillingham said conversations with the other two levels of government about the project are going “really well.”

“I think to see Headingley get funding, it’s indicative of the infrastructure need that municipalities are facing across the country,” he said.

“Our cities are growing, our community is growing. If Headingley receives some federal funding, then I applaud that, because they’re a critical part of the capital region.”

The cost of the first two phases of the treatment plant upgrades is being shared by the city, province and Ottawa. The province granted the city’s request to extend the deadline for the project’s completion to 2032 from 2030 in March.

— With files from Scott Billeck

malak.abas@freepress.mb.ca