EPCOR seeks extension to test wastewater plant
The company now operating Regina’s sewage treatment plant is asking for an extension of a deadline with the city to allow more time for testing at the newly built facility.
During Wednesday’s executive committee meeting, Stephen Stanley of EPCOR asked councillors for a deadline extension on stress testing the wastewater treatment plant.
He said the deal with the city is “pretty unique.”
It calls for an independent thirdparty assessment of the test, with a Dec. 31 deadline to get it done. “It’s taken a little longer to optimize the plant than we hoped,” he said.
The plant is now running at double duty, to prove it can handle the mounting load flushed toward it by a growing city. City administration thinks EPCOR should have two more years to finish the job, and get it approved.
Mayor Fougere applauded the public-private partnership with EPCOR, which allows the city to “shift the burden” of risk to the company.
“Taxpayers are not on the hook for this,” he said.
But Coun. Andrew Stevens asked why EPCOR needs 24 months.
Administration said that will give it two construction seasons, in case the testing reveals a need for upgrades.
It turns out that the city is holding a $25-million credit, which it can claim if EPCOR doesn’t hold up its end of the deal.
Why not just do it, Stevens asked, and take over the plant?
“If the City of Regina cashed the $25-million cheque, we assume that risk,” said city services director Kim Onrait.
“The City of Regina would be responsible for figuring out how to get the plant to capacity.”
Every councillor voted in favour of the extension, which will now go before a full meeting of council.
MEMORIAL CUP IN JEOPARDY? UNLIKELY
Some of the meeting’s sharpest exchanges came over the Exhibition Association’s presentation.
With the Memorial Cup coming to Regina next year, board chair Jeff MacPherson and CEO Mark Allan said they need city money to help pay for a new sound system at the Brandt Centre.
The upgrades were written in as a condition in Regina’s bid for the cup. But the deal is cloudy on what, specifically, the league requires.
Allan said the association now has a quote for a $200,000 system.
Stevens asked if that’s really necessary.
“Are we seeing a threat of the Memorial Cup no longer coming here?” he asked.
Allan said the project has “significant momentum.” He said the association is trying to find a “middle ground” with the league. But he didn’t directly answer the question.
Coun. Bob Hawkins pressed the point.
“If we do not put in another $150,000 for the sound system will we lose the Memorial Cup?”
The answer: probably not.
WEED OPPORTUNITIES
Economic Development Regina, like the public library, didn’t ask for more money in its budget presentation. But representatives were eager to talk about business opportunities for the city, and one of those is marijuana.
“From an economic development standpoint, there are undoubted opportunities,” vice-president David Froh told council, adding that Regina could build a “strong regional industry.”
After the meeting, Froh was even more emphatic.
He said in an emailed response that the economic potential of legalization “cannot be understated,” with opportunities in distribution, real estate and tourism.