The Alberta Government has provided over $850,000 in funding to assist with COVID-19 support initiatives in the Airdrie-Cochrane riding.

The government has also announced over $200 million in infrastructure projects across the constituency that will play an important role in Alberta's economic recovery.

According to a summary provided by local MLA Peter Guthrie's office, a total of $854,000 was provided for COVID-19 initiatives for everything from mental health support to helping provide food.

According to a breakdown, the following have been provided:

  • $500,000 to ThumbsUp in Airdrie for mental health and addiction support
  • $10,000 to Cochrane Activettes Food Bank for additional support during COVID-19
  • $162,560 to Airdrie Food Bank for additional support during COVID-19
  • $14,697 to Big Hill Haven for family violence supports
  • $52,720 to Filipino-Canadian Association for food support
  • $45,000 to Legacy Place Society for emotional support services
  • $43,000 to Helping Hands for food security and social support services

Stimulus funding

Guthrie said another major focus of the spring sessionwas staging the province's economic recovery.

He says his constituency is already feeling the impact of stimulus funding, and more will be announced for Alberta municipalities in the near future.

Municipalities were asked to submit list of shovel ready projects in the spring. Cochrane submitted requests for funding for improvements to the Hwy. 1A-Centre Ave. upgrade, twinning of the sewage pipeline to Calgary, and the major services upgrade to Railway St. that's currently underway.

According to figures provided, over $200 million has been committed to highways and school projects in the riding, including the Hwy. 1A-22 interchange project that's pegged at $76.5 million.

Guthrie says they are exploring ways to start work on the long-anticipated Hwy. 1A-22 interchange. The pipeline right-of-way agreement and archeological dig on the Cochrane Ranche need to completed before the design is finalized and goes to tender.

"We're looking at different ways that we can move that project forward, or sections of the project."

On July 3, the town was awarded $1.45 million on July 3 in Strategic Transportation Infrastructure Program (STIP)  funding for its sanitary storage capacity upgrade. Through its completion, the town will be able to increase its wet well capacity at main lift station. The project is estuimated to create 24 jobs.