Canada, British Columbia, and local partners invest more than $98 million in water infrastructure improvements across the province

Ladysmith, British Columbia, March 22, 2024 —  Communities across the province will receive significant upgrades to their drinking water and wastewater infrastructure after a combined investment of more than $98 million from the federal and provincial governments, and local partners.  

Announced by Minister Harjit S. Sajjan and Minister Anne Kang, these projects will ensure greater access to clean water as well as proper treatment and sanitation of wastewater.

In Ladysmith, the storage capacity of Holland Lake will be expanded to improve the drinking water supply. The increased capacity will also enable greater water storage during wet months for utilization in drier periods. The project will involve lake dredging to remove debris from the lake bed, reconfiguration of intakes, upgrades to spillways and outlets to improve water flow management, and installation of riprap armoring to prevent erosion. These improvements will ensure continued year-round access to high-quality drinking water for residents, while also safeguarding and preserving infrastructure and mitigating environmental impacts that affect water quality and ecosystems.

Infrastructure improvements to drinking water and wastewater treatment for other communities will involve the construction of new water treatment plants, upgrading existing wastewater treatment plants with filtration and ultraviolet disinfection systems, as well as the installation of new water supply lines and reservoirs.