The Municipality of Montcalm will be able to move forward on a new $3 million lagoon for community of St. Jean Baptiste.

Montcalm applied for funding in early 2016 hoping the federal and provincial governments might cover 75% of the project cost through the the Clean Water and Waste Water Fund, with municipality covering the remaining 25%.

Reeve Derek Sabourin says the long awaited response was very  good news.

"We are now working with our engineering firm that was hired to oversee the project, so everything is finally going forward. We have some engineering issues to deal with, but the engineering firm is working with the province on that. As far as we are concerned, it's going ahead and we are very happy that our funding was approved."

Sabourin added without government funding for the new lagoon, St Jean would be unable to develop and grow as a community.

"When you can't get subdivisions or anything like that because of the current size and condition of the current lagoon, it basically halts any potential growth," explained Sabourin.

A handful of Manitoba municipalities will receive upgrades to water and waste treatment facilities through joint funding from the federal and provincial governments.

Over $37 million has been earmarked for 24 different projects that are meant to "strengthen and secure important water and waste water systems in the province.

The federal government is kicking in up to $18.6 million while the province will put up $9.3 million as part of the Clean Water and Wastewater Fund. Municipalities will cover the remaining $9 million.

In addition to St Jean, communities like Elie, Fisher Branch and Stonewall will receive new sewage lagoons or upgrades to their existing infrastructure. Meanwhile, water distribution systems will be upgraded in Landmark and Dauphin and a new water treatment plant and pipelines are to be constructed for the rural municipality of Russell-Binscarth.