Feds refrain from covering extra cost of Paradise lift station

By Mark Squibb / July 7, 2023

The federal government won’t be dipping deeper in its pockets to help cover the extra cost of constructing a new lift station in Paradise to replace the notorious Lift Station No. 10, but the provincial government is promising to pick up the slack.

Paradise councillor Elizabeth Laurie brought the matter to council during this week’s public meeting.

“The Town was approved for funding under the 2020-2023 Multi Year Capital Works agreement for the construction of the new lift station ten in the amount of $3.5 million,” explained Laurie, who added the Town was also approved for funding under the federal government’s Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP) to the tune of $2.4 million.

“Due to the change of the scope of work from when the ICIP funding was originally approved, this funding was reduced to $544,759,” explained Laurie. “However, the additional $2 million dollars will now be funded under the Multi-Year Capital Works program as well, and so there’s no impact on the budget as the total funding will remain the same.”

Of the MYCW funding, the Town will have to pay its share of $857,142.

Council voted earlier this year to construct the lift station anew, rather than repair or build upon the old Lift Station No. 10, which suffered a major malfunction back in 2019 that cost the Town millions.

While original pre-tender estimates for the new lift station came in at $12.6 million, a secondary estimate accounting for inflation came in at $16.9 million.

The actual bids on the project came in much higher, with the lowest bid registering at $23.6 million, well over initial estimates. Councillors Larry Vaters and Glen Carew voted against the motion to construct the new station due to the price increase, with both suggesting the Town consider alternative options.

Work on the new lift station at the corner of St. Thomas Line and Topsail Road is underway.