The City of Moose Jaw will be looking at federal and provincial funding for several of its projects.

City Council voted last night to begin the application process.

The city will be submitting the reservoir and pumphouse projects under the Green Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program.

The projects are expected to cost $16 million and the funding would cover $11 million of the cost.

The outdoor pool project for the Phyllis Dewar Outdoor Pool is expected to be submitted under the Community, Culture and Recreation Stream of the same program.

That project is projected to cost about $3.95 million with the grant potentially covering $1.9 million.

Director of Financial Services Brian Acker did remind council that those projects are not in the budget, so if the bids are unsuccessful administration would be coming back to council to find alternative means for funding.

“We had initially submitted those in the first intake of the program. They were not successful,” Acker said, addressing council. “They do have another intake open now, which closes March 31, so we are asking you to again endorse those two programs that they are submitted.”

Mayor Fraser Tolmie said he was in favour of applying for the grants, despite being unsuccessful the first go-around.

“I’m reminded of Wayne Gretzky’s comment that you miss 100 per cent of the shots you don’t take and so if you don’t apply, you don’t get,” Tolmie said.

The Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program applications were passed with Coun. Swanson as the only one opposed.

Council also voted on a priority list to send to the province for public transit infrastructure funding.

The top priority on the list would be an additional $3.3 million in 2020 and 2021 for cast iron watermain replacement.

Other projects included, in order of priority, the Fluoridation Equipment and Building Program, the Solar Initiatives Program and the purchase of three new transit buses in 2022.

It would also leave $1.6 million earmarked for Moose Jaw that can be addressed in the 2021 Capital Budget.

A motion by Coun. Swanson to remove everything from the list except the cast iron watermain replacement was defeated with only Coun. Dawn Luhning and Swanson in favour.

Tolmie said no one is denying that the watermains are a top priority and explained why they needed to keep the other priorities on the list.

“We know the importance of cast iron watermain replacement program, we’ve discussed the fluoridation equipment and building program, we’ve talked about the solar initiatives and we do understand that this is a transit stream we are applying through,” Tolmie said.

“I can see the logic of putting on three buses to meet the provincial requirements for a transit stream.”

The motion was passed unanimously as recommended.