Clearwater County seeks grant funding for Caroline infrastructure upgrades

Clearwater County is seeking funding for much-needed infrastructure upgrades in the newly amalgamated hamlet of Caroline. Council has approved the submission of an application for the Alberta Community Partnership Program (ACPP) grant, aiming to secure a total of $1.2 million.

The ACPP provides financial assistance to municipalities for restructuring, and Clearwater County intends to utilize the program’s Transitional Stream and Infrastructure Servicing Stream. The County is eligible for up to $250,000 in the Transitional Stream, which will help cover the cost of projects such as assessment information transfer and IT equipment upgrades.

For the Infrastructure Servicing Stream, the County is eligible for up to $950,000. Two key projects in Caroline have been identified for this funding:

1. Rehabilitation of 49 Street – This project involves replacing the sanitary sewer, upgrading the watermain, adding a stormwater system, and resurfacing the road with asphalt. The estimated cost for this work is $915,527.
2. Rehabilitation of 48 Avenue – Work on this stretch of road from 50 to 52 Street will include replacing the sanitary sewer and watermain, with paving to follow once the deep utilities are in place. The estimated cost for this project is $1,816,817.

Together, the total cost for these two projects is projected at $2,732,344.

These upgrades were identified as the top priorities in the former village of Caroline’s Capital Infrastructure Plan, dated December 2024. If the grant application is successful, administration will bring the projects forward for additional discussion at a future council meeting.

In addition to these priority projects, a recent assessment revealed that around 80 per cent of the water distribution pipes in Caroline are aging, many of which were build in the 50s and 60s with asbestos cement, and will need to be replaced within the next 10 years. The sanitary sewer system along 49 Street from 48 Avenue to 47 Avenue was also identified as in need of “immediate attention”. The watermain along the same stretch was also seen as requiring an upgrade.

A separate assessment identified the worst stretch of pavement in the former village – the section of 52 Street from 51 Avenue to the northern edge of the hamlet. Estimated upgrade costs for this project are $2,385,565. Additional projects, including other paving and sewer upgrades around the hamlet, have also been noted as part of the overall infrastructure plan.

Councillor Genny Mehlhaff expressed concerns about the approximately $11 million price tag for upgrades as identified in the former village’s Capital Infrastructure Plan. Council discussed requesting a meeting with Municipal Affairs Minister Ric McIver to discuss the issue further.

Should the grant be approved, administration will bring the projects back at a future meeting for additional discussion.