| Waterloo-Wellington
MPP Ted Arnott Announces Funding to Help Fix the Conestogo
Dam
Waterloo-Wellington
MPP Ted Arnott has announced that the Province of Ontario
will provide a grant of $600,000 to cover approximately
half the cost of repairing the gates on the Conestogo
Dam. The funding will flow to the Grand River Conservation
Authority.
“I
commend the Mayor, Council and staff of the Township
of Mapleton where the dam is located. Their support
has helped make this funding possible. As well I thank
the officials of the Grand River Conservation Authority
for the good working relationship we have in Waterloo-Wellington
and for their commitment and dedication to preserving
and enhancing our natural environment and in this case
our water supply,” declared Mr. Arnott.
Advocating
for provincial support to help finance the repairs to
the dam, Mr. Arnott raised the issue on many occasions
over the course of more than a year through correspondence,
meetings and in the Ontario Legislature. His discussions
were held with the Premier, the Ministers of Environment,
Natural Resources, Finance, Agriculture, Food and Rural
Affairs and Municipal Affairs and Housing. He persisted
in the Legislature as well. In five different speeches
in the House he repeatedly insisted that the provincial
government needed to be a major funding partner in the
project.
Mr.
Arnott informed MPPs of the role that the dam plays
in preventing floods and providing a safe supply of
drinking water. He persisted in advising that the Conestogo
Dam is used to mange low-flow augmentation, meaning
that when water levels are low the dam gates are opened
wider to allow more water into the Grand River. There
have been dry periods when the Dam was responsible for
up to 60 per cent of the drinking water in the City
of Kitchener.
“I
want to thank the Minister of Municipal Affairs and
Housing Chris Hodgson for understanding the circumstances
and for coming through with the assistance needed,”
said Mr. Arnott. “I also appreciate the assistance and
support of Premier Mike Harris, Environment Minister
Elizabeth Witmer, and the Minister of Natural Resources
John Snobelen.”
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