News Release
Harbour Solutions Project Officially Started
(Wednesday, November 12/2003) - Construction on the long-awaited Harbour Solutions Project officially began today.
Federal, provincial and municipal leaders and invited guests attended the official ground-breaking ceremony in Halifax today to mark the start of construction on the first phase of the multi-million project-- the $115.7 million sewage collection system (SCS)
Halifax Regional Council signed an agreement with Dexter Construction in August 2003 for installation of the new sewer collection system infrastructure, which will later be connected to the three new sewage treatment plants in Halifax, Dartmouth and Herring Cove. This phase of the project is expected to take 24 months to complete.
The overall Harbour Solutions Project is expected to cost more than $300 million and take approximately 54 months to complete. The Federal government has agreed to contribute $30 million to the project and the Province of Nova Scotia has agreed to contribute $30 million over a 15-year period, as well as approximately $2 million in required land.
Mayor Peter Kelly said "This construction start today brings the Harbour Solutions Project from a concept into reality. It was a long process and on behalf of Halifax Regional Council, I would like to thank all those involved at all levels of government, both past and present, for their great contributions to this project all the way."
The Honourable Robert Thibault, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, speaking on behalf of the Honourable Allan Rock, Minister of Industry and Minister Responsible for Infrastructure, said,"Today is the beginning of the long-awaited Harbour Solutions Project. This is a great project that will have many lasting benefits for the people of this region. This is good news for the people of Halifax Regional Municipality and for the Province of Nova Scotia."
Honourable Barry Barnet, Minister of Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations, represented the Province of Nova Scotia at the ceremony.
Hugh Smith, Vice-President, Dexter Construction Company Limited, said "I would like to thank Mayor Kelly and Members of Halifax Regional Council for the leadership they have shown in this project and for their confidence in our company to complete it."
Although some preliminary construction has already begun, the ceremony today marked the beginning of excavation of a 1075- metre tunnel, which will run from the corner of Sackville Street and Lower Water Street to the Halifax sewage treatment plant (STP) site at the intersection of Barrington Street and Cornwallis Street. The tunnel concept was selected to minimize the disruption to business in downtown Halifax during the construction of the sewage collection system and to not jeopardize any future development potential of the Cogswell Interchange lands.
A tunnel-boring machine will bore an access shaft, approximately six metres in diameter and 25 metres deep to connect to the tunnel. At the end of this construction phase, the only visible sign of the access shaft and the tunnel will be a plate roughly the size of a manhole cover.
HRM is continuing to negotiate with a private consortium to design and build the three sewage treatment plants required for the Harbour Solutions Project.
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John O'Brien
HRM Corporate Communications Officer
(902) 490-6531
Gerry Maffre
Director General/Directeur général
Communications and Promotion/Communications et promotions
Infrastructure Canada
(613) 946-4459
