Government of Canada funding to support jobs and growth in Leduc-Nisku Region

$17.7 million federal investment to complete Nisku Spine Road will create 950 local jobs and new opportunities for this coal-impacted region

EDMONTON, AB, June 28, 2021 /CNW/ - Transitioning from coal-fired power is a necessary step in protecting our health, our environment, and our economy. Such a change has to be done in a way that is just and fair for both workers and communities affected by the move towards a cleaner energy economy.

Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD), in collaboration with Infrastructure Canada, is investing in infrastructure projects that create jobs and attract business for residents of coal-impacted communities in Alberta.

Today, Terry Duguid, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages (Western Economic Diversification Canada) and to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change (Canada Water Agency), on behalf of the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages, and Minister responsible for Western Economic Diversification Canada, announced a $17.7 million investment to complete the Nisku Spine Road in Leduc County, Alberta.

The Nisku Spine Road is a north-south roadway in Leduc County. Once fully constructed, the road will increase accessibility of high-volume transportation between the Edmonton Metropolitan region, the Nisku Business Park, the Edmonton International Airport, and the cities of Beaumont and Leduc. The project is expected to act as an economic catalyst that will attract investment and create new business opportunities in the region.

Federal funding is being provided through the Canada Coal Transition Initiative-Infrastructure Fund (CCTI-IF). Benefits flowing from this project are expected to include creating approximately 950 local jobs, attracting up to 60 businesses, and developing new opportunities for business expansion throughout Leduc County and surrounding areas.

Quotes

"Coal workers, their families, and their communities must be front and centre in Canada's transition towards a cleaner energy economy. This infrastructure project will create new opportunities for Leduc County to attract business, create good middle-class jobs, and boost investment that will enable the region to thrive for generations to come."
-       Terry Duguid, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages (Western Economic Diversification Canada) and to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change (Canada Water Agency)

"The construction of Nisku Spine Road is one of the highest priority transportation projects in the region. Not only will it mitigate the impacts of the phase out of coal fired electricity in Leduc County, it will also drive long-term economic growth and business diversification, support interregional and multimodal connections to major employment areas, and help to diversify Nisku Business Park – the County's primary industrial growth area."
-       Tanni Doblanko, Mayor of Leduc County

Quick facts

• The CCTI-IF is a $150 million fund created to support infrastructure investments and economic diversification in impacted communities as they transition from coal-fired electricity generation.
• Leduc County is home to a coal mine and a generating station that have been key contributors to the County's tax base since 1988. An economic study commissioned by the County expects completion of the Nisku Spine Road to offset losses resulting from the move away from coal-fired electricity generation.
• The Nisku Spine Road is expected to reduce congestion and improve safety on the Queen Elizabeth II highway, the province's busiest highway connecting Edmonton and Calgary.
• Previous federal government funding to construct portions of the Nisku Spine Road include $7.3 million in 2015 and $2.3 million in 2009 through Infrastructure Canada.

Additional links

• Western Economic Diversification Canada
• Western Economic Diversification Canada's plan on Just Transition Task Force
• Task Force: Just Transition for Canadian Coal Power Workers and Communities

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SOURCE Western Economic Diversification Canada