Mr. Speaker, I will begin by complimenting my hon. colleague for the part of the country he represents. I have had occasion to visit the Okanagan and it is not only well known and cherished for its landscapes, but also its wineries and in vino veritas.
With regard to his question, this government is providing historic investments when it comes to infrastructure. We are demonstrating this commitment by investing in our plan which in return will create jobs for the middle class and build strong communities for the 21st century.
Our plan was developed in collaboration with our partners, namely the provinces, the territories, municipalities and indigenous peoples.
I am proud of the progress we have made together on the plan, which is helping to grow the economy. We are indeed building inclusive communities. That progress includes areas like the member opposite's Okanagan region of British Columbia, where we have been working hard with all orders of government and our partners to ensure that infrastructure investments have a positive impact on the quality of life where his residents live.
In Willowbrook, for example, we have implemented the water system improvement project under the clean water and waste water fund. This project will ensure that residents benefit from safe and reliable access to drinking water and improved environmental protections, which will assist local governments in meeting provincial and federal regulations. The clean water fund is also providing funding for residents in Penticton as they rehabilitate and upgrade the aging Naramata water system to prevent leakage and improve the life expectancy of the infrastructure.
We know that local leaders are the experts. They know what their communities need to be healthy and sustainable.
That is why our programs are designed so that partners select their priority projects and identify them to provincial and territorial governments. The province or territory then identifies its priorities and brings them to us for federal support. Hopefully, that sheds some light on the process for my hon. colleague.
Projects are not assessed based on where they are located or according to who holds the riding. It is not a partisan exercise. We assess them on the basis of merit and whether or not they conform to the parameters that are set out in the integrated bilateral agreements that we have struck with British Columbia and all of the provinces across the country.
In the case of repairing the South Okanagan irrigation canal, the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities met with the project owners and the Town of Oliver. The Town of Oliver submitted an expression of interest under the disaster mitigation and adaptation fund and has been invited to submit a full application to Infrastructure Canada. The $2-billion disaster mitigation and adaptation fund supports large-scale infrastructure projects to help communities better manage the risks of disasters triggered by climate change.
As I have said before in this House and will reiterate again right now, the Government of Canada stands ready to work with our provincial partners as well as our municipal partners. That includes obviously the member opposite.