Friday, June 5, 2026
The Town of Coaldale (AB) has secured $1.8 million in federal funding to expand its sanitary sewer network in the west side of the community, supporting long-term residential and commercial growth.
The Government of Canada is providing $1,817,500 through the Build Communities Strong Fund’s Direct Delivery stream to support Phase 2 of the West Coaldale Sanitary Trunk Main Extension Project. Construction is underway along 16th Avenue from Highway 845 to 23rd Street, where the Town will upsize the existing sanitary sewer to a 600mm trunk main.
Once complete, the project will increase wastewater conveyance capacity, improve system efficiency, and reduce the risk of inflow, infiltration, and backups. Phase 2 is expected to continue through September 2026 and will also include stormwater improvements, road restoration, and construction of approximately 615 metres of new asphalt pathway along the north side of 16th Avenue.
The multi-phase project is designed to service lands annexed by the Town in 2017. The annexation added approximately 1,420 acres from Lethbridge County, including roughly 939 acres for future residential development, 173 acres for commercial growth near Highway 3, 144 acres for industrial use, and 202 acres for public use, including parks.
“Coaldale is growing, and like many communities across Alberta, it needs infrastructure that can keep pace,” said Eleanor Olszewski, Minister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience and MP for Edmonton Centre. “That’s why we’re investing in the wastewater services Coaldale needs to increase capacity for future growth and help make new residential, commercial, and industrial development possible.”
Town of Coaldale Mayor Jack Van Rijn said the project strengthens critical underground infrastructure. “By increasing wastewater capacity along 16th Avenue, we are strengthening an important part of our underground infrastructure while helping prepare the west side of our community for future residential and commercial development,” he said.
Phase 1 of the project, now complete, included installation of approximately 350 metres of 600mm sanitary trunk main along the west side of Highway 845 between 14th Avenue and 16th Avenue, with tie-ins to the existing system. It also included a trenchless crossing at Highway 845 and 14th Avenue to minimize traffic disruption.
The Town completed an Infrastructure Master Plan in 2019 and a West Coaldale Trunk Main Preliminary Design Study in 2021 to determine the preferred alignment, pipe sizing, and slope required to service west Coaldale while maintaining effective gravity flow.
Featured image: (Town of Coaldale)
