Town of Taber receives $200K to partner with corridor neighbours

By Cal Braid
Taber Times
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Town of Taber has been approved for a $200,000 grant and received a letter of approval from Ric McIver, Alberta’s minister of municipal affairs, on Dec. 19. 

The funds became available through the Alberta Community Partnership Program and are meant to encourage partnerships among neighbouring municipalities. Town council reviewed the letter at a Jan. 8 meeting, and CAO Derrin Thibault said that he planned to meet with a Coaldale staff member and MLA Grant Hunter on Jan. 11 to discuss next steps. Taber, Coaldale and Stirling all received letters of approval that were identical except for the role each would be playing. Taber will be the managing partner for the wastewater treatment study, Coaldale will manage the potable water study, and Stirling will manage an FCSS needs assessment project.

Chris Eagan, the Town’s director of planning, engineering and operations said the money will be used for a Regional Wastewater Concept Development Study project. “In general, it’s a background study of the existing infrastructure in communities along the ag corridor, future development potential and that impact on wastewater treatment requirements.” The study will examine the physical and governance viability of looking at all requirements as a system. MPE engineering will be the consulting engineers who will staff the grant work, collect and analyze the data, and write the final report on the Town’s behalf.

Some of the region’s water infrastructure is connected, making inter-municipal cooperation a necessary path forward. “On the potable water supply side there are some agreements between municipalities,” Eagan said. “Lethbridge supplies Coaldale with treated water, Taber provides raw water through our supply system to Barnwell who then treat and distribute themselves. I am aware that Redcliff has a new treatment plant and were discussing potable water supply north of the river to Medicine Hat.”

Eight other municipalities are participating: Cypress County, County of Forty Mile, Lethbridge County, Municipal District of Taber, Town of Bow Island, Town of Coaldale, Village of Barnwell, and City of Medicine Hat. 

“We are all in this grant as partners,” Eagan said.