The Alberta and federal governments are providing one-million dollars in grants to improve water management, environmental sustainability and agricultural production.

The money will help irrigation districts and irrigators enhance and improve the efficiency of irrigation systems in the province.

“Modern and reliable irrigation is critical to the success of Alberta farmers," says Oneil Carlier, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry.  "This funding will support Alberta farm families with the freshwater resources they need to improve the efficiency, sustainability and productivity of their operations across southern Alberta.”  

Ron McMullin, Executive Director of the Alberta Irrigation Projects Association says the funding will ensure they can continue to manage water in a way that benefits everyone.

There are eight-thousand kilometres of canals and pipelines in Alberta's irrigation system which carry water to more than 566-thousand hectares of agricultural land, as well as 50 towns and villages, multiple industries and processors.

The $1 million grant program is part of the Growing Forward 2 – federal-provincial-territorial partnership that has a mandate to drive an innovative, competitive and profitable Canadian agriculture and agri-food sector.