CITY OF LLOYDMINSTER - Leon Benoit, MP for Vegreville-Wainwright and the Honourable Lloyd Snelgrove, President of Treasury Board and MLA for Vermilion-Lloydminster today celebrated the groundbreaking of the overlay work on Highway 17 from the City of Lloydminster north boundary to Highway 45, which is one of many projects in the region helping to create jobs and boost the local economy.

“This project is one which will benefit the people who travel Highway 17 north of the City of Lloydminster. It is money well spent which will help position this community and Canada to better strengthen our economy after this recession is over,” said Leon Benoit, MP for Vegreville-Wainwright. “As well, of course, it is money well spent because the cost of this project is considerably less than it would have been one year ago. These are bargain prices.”

Honourable Lloyd Snelgrove, President of Treasury Board, MLA Vermilion-Lloydminster commented “It is important, as we move forward out of the recession, that the three levels of government work together to make sure the infrastructure that businesses require is in place in order to compete and prosper.”

The Governments of Canada and Alberta have jointly announced a total eligible cost of up to
$3,165,000 toward this project.

The project is part of the Government of Canada’s two-year Economic Action Plan which includes measures to create and maintain jobs, and ensure Canada’s economy emerges strong from the global economic recession.  By working with other levels of government, the Government of Canada has committed stimulus funding to nearly 7,000 infrastructure projects across Canada during the 2009 and 2010 construction seasons.