The federal government will release $10 million immediately to help
fund water supply projects in Saskatchewan and Alberta’s drought
ravaged areas, agriculture minister Lyle Vanclief announced Aug. 9.
The funding is part of a four-year, $60-million drought-mitigation
commitment made July 12.
A portion of the $10 million will be used to fund 2,000 eligible but
currently unfunded water development projects in Saskatchewan under the
Rural Water Development Program, or RWDP.
“It will help alleviate the risk of future water supply shortages due
to drought and improve economic stability and opportunity in Canada’s
agricultural areas,” said Vanclief, in making the announcement.
The federal government plans to use the remaining $50 million on
projects such as large-scale pipelines or small dams and to conduct
studies that identify solutions to water supply issues.
This $60 million in funding is in addition to the $5.5 million-a-year
RWDP, an ongoing Agriculture Canada program administered by the Prairie
Farm Rehabilitation Administration.
The program provides technical and financial assistance to farmers,
ranchers, agricultural and conservation groups, rural communities and
municipalities on water supply issues.
