The Pembina Valley Water Co-op is celebrating a significant boost to its capital plan after receiving $22 million in government funding as part of a rural infrastructure announcement.

The governments of Canada and Manitoba are investing a total of $76.9 million for water and wastewater infrastructure to help municipalities upgrade critical infrastructure through the Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund (CHIF) provincial stream.

“We are very excited, obviously. This is excellent news, not just for Pembina Valley Water Co-op, but for the Pembina Valley as a region,” said Dale Toews, CEO of the water co-op. “We’re very pleased that the province stepped up to the plate for us.” 

The funding comes after what Toews described as a long and determined lobbying effort. 

“This has been more of a marathon and lots and lots of meetings. And we really felt the province was listening. They had an ear for us. And now we know that they were in fact listening because they came through.”

According to Toews, the money will help advance two major projects already underway: the membrane plant expansion at the Letellier treatment plan and installation of new intake in a deeper part of the Red River.

“Our capital list is lengthy. Our two major projects right now are the membrane plant expansion… We have a target date for completion of 2028/2029 on that. And so that’s already underway. That’s going to be a real game changer for us,” he explained. 

“Our new intake project, that’s the new 24-inch pipe going into a deeper spot in the river. That project is also underway. We’re aiming for that to be completed in the next year.” 

Beyond these projects, the Co-op plans additional booster stations and line twinning to move water across its 314 kilometers of pipeline. 

“There’s no shortage of work, I’ll put it that way,” Toews added. 

The upgrades are essential to meet growing demand from the region’s 14 member municipalities. 

“It’s not just residential, it’s agri-commercial, it’s industrial, and it’s agricultural. It’s coming from all ends, and it’s a good thing. It’s a good problem. But we have to be there to make sure we can supply the needs for the community. That’s what we’re here for.” 

Stephanie Peters, economic development officer for ARED (Altona Rhineland Economic Development) added, “This investment from the Governments of Canada and Manitoba is a significant step forward for our region. Reliable water and wastewater infrastructure is essential for attracting new businesses and supporting local industry. This funding ensures our communities are well-positioned for sustainable growth for years to come.”

While the funding is a major win, Toews emphasized that water security remains the Co-op’s most pressing concern. 

“We can build all the plant capacity, the pumps and the pipes, but they’re not going to help much if we don’t have that raw water supply to feed it,” he said. “Looking back to 2021, we saw the Red River come to a trickle… We just can’t allow ourselves to have short memories with things like this.” 

The Co-op is urging the province to work with them on securing additional water sources. 

“Right now, we’re just saying to the province, we need to work with you. We want to be partners on looking at additional water sourcing,” Toews concluded.