The town submitted three distinctly different shovel-ready projects in hopes of receiving some of the infrastructure funding the provincial government is offering to municipalities.

The innovation centre, Railway St. deep services, and wastewater twinning project to Calgary have all been submitted to Alberta Municipal Affairs, says Mayor Jeff Genung.

All three are on the town's list of capital projects.

"We were trying to cover off a diverse list. So if they're looking for a concrete and asphalt project, we have one of those. If they're looking for wastewater or something regional we have one of those... we were trying to check off a lot of boxes."

Mayor Genung expects some residents will be surprised to hear the Hwy. 22-1A interchange project isn't on the list submitted.

There are two main reasons; it's not shovel-ready, and it's a provincial government project.

"We've reached out to the province and we've been talking to Alberta Transportation. There's still a little bit of the design to complete and they're still on track for 2021, so to have that included wasn't even an option."

"Why would we waste one of our shovel-ready projects on something that has been identified and is being funded by the province?"

In addition to completing this design work, there remains the obstacle of finalizing a pipeline right-of-way agreement and completion of an archeological dig on the Cochrane Ranche.

No specific timeline has been provided by the province on when successful projects will be announced, but Mayor Genung expects them to be announced soon.

"What I'm taking from that, reading  between the lines, is they're going to be making a decision very soon, otherwise we'll miss the tendering period."

"Every day when there's an announcement my ears perk up."

In addition, Interim CAO Drew Hyndman told council on Monday that town administration is reviewing its 2020-23 capital project list to see if there are others that could be moved forward to help stimulate the economy, hammered by a crash in oil prices and COVID-19.