Alberta Presentation at the city of Brooks

Welcome, everyone, to the City of Brooks, also known as the City of One Hundred Hollows. My name is Joel Good Enough, and I am the Deputy Mayor. It is my pleasure to host you today for this important announcement, and on behalf of Mare Petri and the entire City Council, I would like to extend a warm welcome to Premier Smith, Minister Demonstration, and all our guests.

Brooks is a vibrant and evolving community, and we take pride in showcasing our progress and the partnerships that help us advance as a city. Whether through new school initiatives or upgrades to our roads, we are enthusiastic about the future of Brooks.

Without further ado, I would like to invite Premier Smith to the podium to share today's announcement.

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Premier Smith's Address

Thank you, Deputy Mayor Good Enough, for that kind introduction. It's great to be here in Brooks today to discuss a range of projects happening across the province, along with Minister Demonstration, who will elaborate on them shortly.

We are investing over one hundred million dollars into more than eighty projects, including wastewater systems, roads, bridges, and airports throughout the province. While these projects may not be the flashiest, they are essential. Water infrastructure is critical for our communities, and ensuring that our wastewater systems can support growing populations is of utmost importance. These projects also create jobs across Alberta and help build the vital infrastructure our communities need, including roads, bridges, and airports. In short, these investments ensure that Albertans can travel safely and efficiently, keeping our economy thriving.

As the MLA for Brooks-Medicine Hat, I'm pleased to announce that Brooks will receive two point six million dollars in funding for the reconstruction of Range Road 150, which connects to Highway 1 and Highway 542. Additionally, the city will receive nine hundred thousand dollars for a mechanical membrane bioreactor wastewater treatment plant, which, as Deputy Mayor Good Enough has informed me, will accommodate the growing population of Brooks. We are very glad to make that announcement, which will significantly benefit not only Brooks but communities across the province.

With that, I'll hand it over to Minister Demonstration.

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Minister Demonstration's Address

Thank you, Premier. It's been a busy year for provincial road and infrastructure projects. We have allocated two hundred fifty-seven million dollars to the Water for Life program and one hundred ninety-five million dollars to the Alberta Municipal Water Wastewater Partnership program. These programs are crucial for rural Alberta, ensuring access to reliable clean drinking water and efficient wastewater services.

This year, we have thirty-five water and wastewater projects underway across rural Alberta, totaling seventy-three million dollars. As the Premier mentioned, Brooks is receiving nine hundred thousand dollars for the design and construction of a mechanical membrane bioreactor, which will modernize and improve the city's water treatment capabilities. This new facility will replace the existing lagoon system and provide an efficient water system for Brooks.

Additionally, we have a strategic transportation infrastructure program, affectionately called STEP, with one hundred twenty-six million dollars allocated to help rural municipalities maintain and enhance local roads, bridges, and airports. This year, we have fifty-one local infrastructure projects across rural Alberta, totaling over forty-one million dollars. One noteworthy example is the two point six million dollars allocated for the reconstruction of Range Road 150, vital for providing a truck route connecting to Highway 1 and Highway 542.

Just this morning, we announced another STEP project—a three point five million dollar grant to support an industrial rail extension, enhancing the economic corridor in southern Alberta with over two hundred million dollars invested in Coaldale. This will allow Alberta's food products to be transported more efficiently across North America and beyond.

Our government is committed to investing in rural Alberta to ensure communities can grow, thrive, and attract new businesses and families, contributing to a high quality of life.

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Media Q&A Session

Now, we'll open the floor to media questions. Please state your name and the outlet you represent. One question at a time, please.

Reporter from Global News: Good afternoon, and thank you for taking my question. Deputy Mayor Good Enough, could you provide the total cost of this project? The total cost is approximately thirty million dollars. What are your plans for raising funds, and what is your timeline?

Our timeline is not set in stone yet; we'll be looking into partnerships and may also consider a modest increase in utility fees in the city of Brooks.

Eric from Global Radio: Thank you. Premier, there are rumors of a potential early election in spring. Is that being considered?

To be clear, we're focused on our plans for the Alberta Party to continue to grow and evolve into something that better serves the people, while also respecting our legacy as the Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta.

Lee from YEA Radio: Thank you. Could you explain the funding for water projects and its impact?

There are indeed eighty different projects included. We are allocating substantial water grants, and municipalities must apply for them. Could we have another follow-up regarding the community impact of the new infrastructure?

Brooks currently has a population of around fifteen thousand and can potentially grow to twenty thousand, but this will enable growth up to thirty thousand, which also supports the County of Newell's growth.

Thank you, Deputy Mayor Good Enough. Operator, do we have any additional callers? There are no further questions at this time.

CTV News: We learned from the Health Minister earlier this year about potentially implementing a tax credit for those seeking in vitro fertilization. What progress has been made?

At this point, it's still exploratory. We are examining what a tax credit could look like for a very costly procedure. There hasn't been a formal proposal yet, but the Minister is looking into it seriously.

Thank you, everyone. That concludes today's announcement.