Bridgewater will get a visit from the assistant deputy minister of Infrastructure Canada this month to further discuss its Energize Bridgewater project.
The town was announced as the winner of the $5-million Smart Cities Challenge in May for its proposed Energy Poverty Reduction Program.
Town staff have begun contract negotiations on the contribution agreement with Infrastructure Canada.
Mayor David Mitchell says the money will be given to them in installments.
Mitchell says it is something their sustainability planner, Leon de Vreede, is working on.
“He has laid that out and explained that it is not ideal for us to get $1-million a year over five years because we have some heavy lifting to do at the beginning. He has kind of proposed a little more up front to get the ball rolling.”
“They don’t come with a $5-million cheque and say “here is $5-million,” adds Mitchell.
“It is spread out over a few years and there are targets we need to meet based on what we said we were going to do in our project, which makes sense because it is the responsible thing to do.”
The contract will be brought to town council for approval before it is finalized.
The town will celebrate its Smart Cities Challenge victory July 25 at Pijinuiskaq Park before the Music on the Riverbank event gets underway.
