Investment in Water Infrastructure

News Release � Communiqu�
For immediate release � March 23, 2005

INVESTMENT IN WATER INFRASTRUCTURE BENEFITS SOUTH BRUCE
PENINSULA

WIARTON-- Residents of South Bruce Peninsula will benefit from cleaner, safer
drinking water through an investment under the Canada�Ontario Infrastructure
Program. The Honourable Andy Mitchell, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food; the
Honourable John Gerretsen, Ontario Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing; and Carl
R. Noble, Mayor of the Town of South Bruce Peninsula, made the announcement today.

The Town of South Bruce Peninsula will upgrade 12 water works systems, which will
improve the drinking water quality for 1,505 households. The Town will upgrade three
water works and combine nine systems into two, resulting in five upgraded water
systems. Improvements to the Oliphant and Amabel-Sauble systems will include a new
well, upgrades to existing wells, a new treatment building and ultraviolet disinfection
equipment. The Foreman and Huron Woods systems will both be equipped with
alarmed on-line analyzers, standby sodium hypochlorite tanks, chemically assisted
filtration and ultraviolet disinfection equipment. The fifth water system, the Wiarton
Water Treatment Plant, will be upgraded with ultraviolet disinfection equipment and
waste piping filtration.

The upgrades are required to bring the municipal water system into compliance with
the Ontario Drinking Water Systems Regulation and improve the overall quality of life
for residents in the Town of South Bruce Peninsula. "Green" municipal infrastructure is
a top priority for the Canada�Ontario Infrastructure Program.

The Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario will each contribute up to
$2,845,417 to this project. The Town of South Bruce Peninsula will invest the balance
of the project's total eligible cost of $8,536,250. The Government of Canada's
investment is contingent on the successful completion of an environmental assessment
of the proposed project under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act.

"The Government of Canada is committed to enhancing the quality of life in
communities right across Canada," said Minister Mitchell. "With this investment, all
three levels of government are working together to improve water infrastructure for the
people of South Bruce Peninsula." The Government of Canada's funding for this
initiative was provided for in the February 2005 federal budget and is therefore built
into the existing fiscal framework, added Minister Mitchell.
"Upgrading water infrastructure is important to Ontario's rural communities, and an
important part of Ontario's rural plan," said Minister Gerretsen. "This project shows how
we are working to provide access to safe, clean drinking water for all Ontarians."

"The scope of this project reflects the priority the residents of South Bruce Peninsula
place on upgrading our water infrastructure," said Mr. Noble. "We are pleased to be
working with the governments of Canada and Ontario in moving this important initiative
forward."

This is one of a series of matching federal and provincial investments to help
municipalities protect the health and safety of their residents through essential
infrastructure projects, totalling more than $1.3 billion to date in Ontario. A large
number of these projects will ensure municipalities can supply residents with clean, safe
drinking water.

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Contacts:

Carl R. Noble
Mayor of the Town of South Bruce Peninsula
(519) 534-1400

Peggy Stewart
Ministry of Public Infrastructure Renewal
(416) 325-4827

Sam Boonstra
Industry Canada
(416) 952-0468

For more information visit: www.ic.gc.ca/coip-pico or www.pir.gov.on.ca or
www.resultsontario.gov.on.ca

Project Reference Number: 597-6169

Canada-Ontario Infrastructure Program
Programme d'infrastructures Canada-Ontario