Heather Wright/The Independent

St Clair Township’s renovation of the Courtright Water Treatment plant will boost capital spending in 2025 to over $70 million.

Township council recently reviewed and approved the capital budget, which will be finally approved when the township completes its operational budget in the New Year.

There is $21,949,164 in capital spending planned for 2025 aside from the $46,400,000 water treatment plant. The province announced $33.8 million in funding for the expansion in August.
It’s hoped construction will begin in 2025.

The township will use $1.58 million from reserves to replace a fire tanker and another $50,000 to upgrade the township’s fire command unit.

Another $130,000 has been set aside for a virtual reality training simulator which is being specially made for St. Clair River. Chief Richard Boyes says the simulator will improve training opportunities for the volunteer firefighters.

Another $150,000 will be spent repaving the Brigden Fire Hall parking lot.

The Parks and Recreation department hopes to spend $520,000 to refurbish the pool at the Moore Sports Complex. The township has applied for a grant for that project.

There are also plans to remove asbestos from a number of municipal buildings in St. Clair. The township has set aside $125,000 for the work and plans to hire someone to oversee the project. That position will need to be approved in the operating budget.

Two bridges are slated for replacement, the bridges spanning Marshy Creek at the St. Clair Parkway and Ward Line. The St. Clair Parkway bridge is expected to cost $3.5 million while the Ward Line span is $2.5 million.

The township also plans to spend about about $2.7 million on the relocation of the Tom Street Sewer in 2025.

The capital budget also calls for $575,000 to be spent on rural road surface treatments and another $525,000 on asphalt roads in urban areas.

In all, the township plans to spend $70.8 million in capital projects for municipal buildings, the water treatment plant and at the sewage treatment plan. $55.1 million of that will be coming from external sources such as government grants. Another $10.6 million will be drawn from reserves. $5.19 million will come from local taxpayers. Treasurer George Lozon says there is no increase to taxpayers from 2024.

Administration and council removed over $3 million in projects from the 2025 capital budget including a $100,000 upgrade to the pool change rooms, a $45,000 paving job at the Corunna Library, $350,000 for new lights at the Courtright Main ball diamond and four projects at local campgrounds including a hydro upgrade at Mooretown which was expected to cost $390,000.