Mackenzie, B.C. -The Regional District of Fraser-Fort George is receiving a grant of $1,534,666 from the New Building Canada – Small Communities Fund to assist with solid-waste management and the construction of a full service transfer station at the Mackenzie Regional landfill.

Mackenzie Mayor, Pat Crook  says  replacing the Mackenzie landfill  has been  on the agenda  for more than two decades “It’s been a budget  item each time,  but it hasn’t had the funding, so this is   a  one third, one third one third  grant,  so it looks like Petra ( Wildauer  of  Regional District’s Waste Management  team)  has her money now and she can move forward with the project.”

With this funding, the Regional District will be able to go ahead with plans for the construction of a full service transfer station at the Mackenzie Regional landfill.  “It will provide us with  one location for  residents to allow for improved  recycling  and waste disposal” says Mayor Pat Crook.  He says it will also provide the opportunity  to not only divert  materials more conveniently, but also to have   the Regional district meet its  waste diversion goals.”

The Regional District has been closing small rural landfills  since  1997, “This is just one more  in the move to have  a single landfill in Prince George” says Crook  who adds,  the new transfer station will be coordinated to ensure needs of the local garbage collection services and the community’s desire for more convenient disposal and recycling.

Mayor Crook says the application for the funding   was submitted two years ago  “At that time  the project  was valued at just over   $2.3 million dollars,  two thirds of which comes from the grant .  The  project budget and timeline will be updated in the near future.”

It is expected the project will be  completed  in the fall of 2018.