RM of Stuartburn hosts province, donors for tour of Sundown Ridge, Caliento project area

The RM of Stuartburn hosted government officials and donors to tour the future locations of the Sundown Ridge and Caliento Bog projects.

“We had a tour last week (May 14). We had ministers out. We had the Co-operative out,” said Reeve Michelle Gawronsky. “They were able to see all the area. We were out in the Sundown area with everybody, including the engineer and his company.”

Minister of Environment and Climate Change Mike Moyes, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Lisa Naylor and representatives from EcoWest, the Nature Conservancy of Canada, Co-operators Insurance, and Strategic Engineering looked at the locations for the two water projects and overall drainage in the RM.

“They’re very impressed that (drainage and the Sundown Ridge project) are being looked at as an RM as a whole, not just piecemeal. They’re impressed (with) the grant funding that we got without having to just put a handout to government to say, ’Hey, either give us the money or you fix it,’” said Gawronsky.

“It’s one of these that we want to work with them on. And, of course, any projects you’re on, there’s provincial licenses, there’s federal licenses, you have to work with the different departments, whether it’s fisheries, water, any of those.”

The Sundown Ridge project, a dry dam that is expected to control flooding near the town of Sundown, won’t proceed until the land survey that is currently underway by Strategic is completed.

Half of a $100,000 grant given by the Co-operators to do the land survey is part of the insurance company’s Co-operators Resilience Acceleration Lab (The Lab) fund, which works with communities and partners to help “de‑risk” critical systems and infrastructure by unlocking new pathways for climate‑resilient investments, wrote a spokesperson in a statement.

“The Lab is a collaborative, multi-stakeholder initiative focused on advancing climate resilience in communities across Canada. We aim to unlock investment in risk‑reducing infrastructure and projects,” read the statement.

Gawronsky said the RMs of Piney and Stuartburn have yet to meet to discuss the estimated $3 million Sundown Ridge project and what the next steps will be and if the partnership between the two will continue. Piney Coun. Ken Prociw, who sits on the Seine Rat Roseau Watershed District (SRRWD) board, could not be reached for an interview by press time.

Gawronsky said the Sundown Ridge project will move forward should Piney officially opt out.

”It’s been crickets (from Piney). So, we are not waiting for someone else, you know. It’s been years and years of trying to make things work together and it doesn’t work. It hasn’t come together,” she said.

“We do know that the money has been allocated through the province, through our watershed district. And I read the minutes not long ago where the money is still allocated.”

Through the SRRWD, the province will give up to $200,000 for the Sundown Ridge project.

While Strategic is currently doing the land survey, with a tentative deadline of July, maintenance of drains will continue in the RM with council approving 21 drains to be cleared this year should time and money allow.

Gawronsky said issues like licences and endangered species will affect when drains will be cleaned. She noted beavers have already been removed from some drains.

“We’re doing things in a very staged way to make sure that we are moving in a direction that is beneficial to everyone in the RM, not just Sundown, not just our backup, but to everyone in the RM,” she said.

The municipality will spend $78,000 on drainage and $51,500 on brushing for the 21 drainage projects, according to CAO Brittney Fisher.

Once the engineering study is done for the RM, the municipality will hold a public meeting where results will be shared and residents can ask questions of the engineering firm and council.