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Brighton council will consider a major step towards a new mechanical wastewater treatment plant at Monday’s council meeting following a recommendation to approve a $50-million-plus contract to North America Construction (1993) Ltd.
This is just one of the action items on the agenda for council’s regular meeting Monday, July 21, which starts at 6:30 p.m.
According to CAO Elana Arthurs’ report on the wastewater treatment plant replacement RFP award and the municipality’s ongoing work with consultants J.L. Richards, the recommendation is to approve the contract in the amount of $50,122,781.
Should council advance awarding the contract, staff will still have to return to the table for further approval of a long-term borrowing strategy for the balance of the project before the 2026 draft budget.
However, as previously reported earlier this year, Brighton was the recipient of a provincial grant to the tune of nearly $35 million already in support of this project. These monies are coming through the Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund.
In other words, the investment should help Brighton tackle long-standing issues with its aging lagoon-based treatment system when it comes to meeting effluent quality standards – and help build up to 3,000 new homes, according to officials.
In addition to the grants, the project is expected to be funded through a combination of development charges, external borrowing, and municipal reserves.
If council approves this contract, the scope of the work is supposed to be completed over a 36-month period, according to the staff report.
Mayor Brian Ostrander previously told MBC the new plant should last Brighton 50 years after its completion.
(Written by: Sarah Hyatt)
