Niagara Region Wins AMO Federal Gas Tax Award

Toronto, Ontario, August 19, 2020 – The Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) has recognized Niagara Region for investing federal Gas Tax funding in an innovative sewer rehabilitation project in the City of Niagara Falls.

AMO Past President Jamie McGarvey announced Niagara Region’s Stamford Interceptor project as this year’s winner at the 2020 AMO Conference – held online for the first time due to COVID-19. The Stamford Interceptor Trunk Sanitary Sewer Phase 1 Project was recognized for using a “trenchless” technique which greatly reduced disruption and minimized environmental impact.

The Hon. Catherine McKenna, Canada’s Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, addressed the Federal Gas Tax Awards ceremony, praising Niagara Region’s “very impressive work.”

“Congratulations to this year’s winner, Niagara Region,” said Minister McKenna. “You combined innovation and environmentally-friendly engineering and supported long-term planning with your sewer pipeline project. And you did a great job keeping the impact on the busy Niagara Falls tourism sector minimal.”

The project involved the rehabilitation of 2,300 meters of trunk sanitary sewer. In 2014, the Region undertook a condition assessment of 71 segments of sewers, including the Stamford Interceptor. The assessment identified numerous areas of serious concern and the sewers were recommended for immediate rehabilitation. Failure of these sewers would have been catastrophic and would have resulted in a massive sewage spill to the environment, flooding of residential basements, costly emergency repairs, a lengthy disruption of service to the residents of South Niagara Falls, and interruptions to the tourism sector.
 
Niagara Region utilized the trenchless method, over the traditional open cut construction method, because of the overwhelming social, economic, environmental, and cost-savings benefits of using this technology.

“It’s great to get recognition for the innovation that went into this project,” said Niagara Region Regional Chair, Jim Bradley. “The federal Gas Tax Fund played a very big role in making this happen.”

“Since 2008 we have recognized projects that demonstrate excellence in the use of federal Gas Tax funds,” said Jamie McGarvey. “This year, we had a dozen entries from all over the Province, from municipalities both large and small. I know that the committee had a hard time choosing the winner. Congratulations to Niagara Region for their success.”

The federal Gas Tax Fund is a permanent and stable source of funding for municipal infrastructure. AMO delivers the Fund directly to Ontario’s municipalities, except Toronto, twice a year, on a per capita basis. Learn more about the federal Gas Tax Fund in Ontario at www.gastaxatwork.ca. Follow us on Twitter @GasTaxinOntario and Instagram @federalgastaxontario. 

AMO is a non-profit organization representing almost all of Ontario’s 444 municipal governments. AMO supports and enhances strong and effective municipal government in Ontario and promotes the value of municipal government as a vital and essential component of Ontario and Canada’s political system.