City seeks compromise on sewage plant funding

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This article was published 18/05/2021 (1318 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

WINNIPEG’S mayor is urging the province to compromise on its hotly contested demand the city gauge interest for a private-public partnership to operate two key sewage projects.

Mayor Brian Bowman warns a delay could wind up sparking higher water and sewer rates.

However, the province doesn’t appear interested in the city’s offer, which narrowly won the approval of council’s executive policy committee Tuesday.

EPC cast a 4-3 final vote to have a consultant seek out interest in a potential private-public partnership (P3) with the city to design, build and finance two phases of the $1.8-billion north end sewage treatment plant upgrade.

That falls short of a provincial demand the city also explore P3 interest to operate and maintain the biosolids facility and nutrient-removal phases of the project.

The province has told the city study is required before Broadway will approve a tri-government Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program application to fund the first two phases of the upgrades.

Bowman said the long-awaited sewage megaproject is urgently needed, making the most extensive P3 study unrealistic, since civic officials warned it could take years to complete.

“This infrastructure project has to proceed and it has to proceed in a timely way… Further growth of our city is dependent upon this project proceeding, as is the health of our rivers and our lake,” said Bowman.

Without the north end upgrades, city staff warn Winnipeg sewage treatment capacity could be exhausted within five to nine years, thwarting new development.

The project’s third and final nutrient-removal phase would also greatly reduce algae-promoting compounds in the effluent that winds up in Lake Winnipeg.

Bowman urged the province to compromise, and approve the upgrade funding as soon as possible.

If the senior government disagrees, council may ultimately need to consider raising Winnipeg sewer and water rates to cover more of the upgrade costs, he said. “I think that’s a last resort.”

The compromise didn’t win over all EPC members. The mayor joined Couns. Brian Mayes, Scott Gillingham, and Jeff Browaty to support the motion, while Couns. Matt Allard, Sherri Rollins and Cindy Gilroy rejected it.

The opposition argued even the compromise threatens to delay the project.

“We shouldn’t accept this delay, this tactic,” said Rollins.

Winnipeg water and waste director Moira Geer has warned if the province’s model is approved, it would essentially privatize all the city’s highly integrated sewage treatment system.

Union leaders lashed out against the push to explore privatization, arguing it would threaten the safety of sewage treatment.

“Profit becomes No. 1, and delivery of that service is secondary,” said Kevin Rebeck, president of the Manitoba Federation of Labour. “We can’t afford that when it comes to our (sewage) treatment.”

By contrast, the provincial government stressed a private-public partnership must be explored to its fullest extent for the projects.

“We think that the marketplace can determine how this (would) best operate… To limit options, I don’t think (is) in the best interests of Manitobans, Winnipeggers or taxpayers,” said Manitoba Central Services Minister Reg Helwer.

Helwer said the sewage upgrade is a priority for the province and rejected allegations it’s intentionally delaying the work.

Provincial opposition members urged the government to drop the demand entirely.

“This is absolutely ridiculous interference in the part of the government. They have no business whatsoever telling the City of Winnipeg how to run their affairs,” said Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont.

NDP Leader Wab Kinew urged the province to back off its “mistaken direction.”

— with files from Larry Kusch and Carol Sanders

joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga