The RM of Portage la Prairie's continuing preparations for the establishment of the Roquette plant southwest of the city, by awarding two contracts to AECOM.

Reeve Kam Blight says outlines what they're for.

"To oversee the design and project management services for road improvements," he says, "And for the site work, where Roquette's going to be. It's part of our contribution that we're putting forward to the Roquette industrial development plan."

Blight says AECOM will design upgrades for Roads 41 West and 65 North.

"We're going to building up the road -- we call it the Simplot road (Roads 41 West and 65 North)", he says, "It's going to be brought up to proper standards to handle a heavier truck load, so we've hire them to manage those services for us. And also, there's some grading work that needs to take place on the actual site where Roquette's going to be building."

Blight's pleased, but cautions there's still work to be done before shovels are in the ground.

"There are still some t's that have to be crossed, and i's that have to be dotted before we sign the formal agreements with Roquette and the province. That should be happening here, I hope, within the next month, so I think some work will take place in the next two months."

The design work on the Roquette site will cost the RM just over $57,000.00, while the road work has a price tag of $261,635.00.

Here's the Report to Council on site work.

This is the report on road work.