The Town of Ladysmith has been awarded a pair of federal green municipal fund grants totalling $414,000 for projects which they say will support the sustainability of the Ladysmith waterfront.
On Wednesday, July 28, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities announced $1.76 million for B.C. municipalities and First Nations to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve the quality of water, land and transportation in communities across British Columbia.
A portion of the federal funding ($168,400) received by the town is dedicated toward the completion of an environmental assessment and remedial action plan for the uplands identified within the waterfront area plan.
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Council previously approved conducting a site investigation, which has been ongoing since late 2020, and these grant funds allow the town to recover a portion of the costs for completing this work.
The uplands area is defined as the town-owned land from the foreshore up to the E&N rail line, and from Captain Tristan de Koninck Way to 940 Oyster Bay Dr. The budgeted costs for the study are approximately $400,000, with funds coming from general surplus and development reserves. Funds will not be coming from the 2020 budget.
A detailed site investigation of the uplands area is required because of contaminants in the area that require remediation. In 2012, the town released a report by Golder Associates that outlines the environmental conditions of the Ladysmith Harbour, the extent of contamination, and a range of costs for alternatives to address remediation.
Following the receipt of a final report, it’s anticipated that the town will be able to apply to the province as part of the next steps for determining a remediation plan and schedule, as Ladysmith continue with the ongoing implementation of the waterfront plan.
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The second grant ($246,000) helps partially fund an ultraviolet disinfection pilot project at Ladysmith’s wastewater treatment plant, supporting recommendations contained within the town’s long-term strategy for wastewater management.