Ontario Investing in Small, Rural and Northern Communities
Funding Will Support Economic Growth and Job Creation in Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston
December 16
MPP John Jordan Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston announced today that the Ontario government is providing over $8 million to help renew and rehabilitate local infrastructure in our riding. The funding is being delivered through the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund (OCIF) and is part of the government’s overall investment of $400 million in 2023.
“Investing in infrastructure is a priority of this government. I am very pleased with this investment and future investments to keep Ontario open for business”, said Jordan.
OCIF provides funding to eligible communities every year to help them address critical infrastructure needs, including road, bridge, water and wastewater projects.
“OCIF formula-based funding (just over $1.3 million) has made a meaningful contribution toward the Town’s commitment to the renewal of key infrastructure”, said Smiths Falls Mayor Shawn Pankow. “In 2021, it helped fund vital improvements at the intersection of Lombard and Abbott and in 2022 it supported phase two of the Beckwith Street redevelopment. The increase for 2023 is encouraging, as it recognizes the challenge the town faces due to aging infrastructure and inflation, and will help enable further improvements for our citizens, including the planned rehabilitation of Catherine Street. We are grateful the province continues to recognize the challenges municipalities face with infrastructure deficits and are encouraged this funding envelope has doubled in the past two years.”
Steve Fournier, Reeve of Drummond North Elmsley said, “Drummond North Elmsley Township is very fortunate and thankful to receive this funding (just over $186,000). It is being applied to resurface a section of Drummond Concession 1, various spot paving and crack sealing projects township wide, as well for the installation of a guide rail system on Sunset Drive. This funding helps us significantly with the ongoing process of repairing and replacing our aging infrastructure”.
By supporting key community infrastructure projects, the Ontario government is helping to grow and build safer, more resilient communities for generations to come.
“The province’s recent funding announcement to the Town of Carleton Place (just over $1.1 million) under the Ontario Community Infrastructure Funding (OCIF) Formula-Based Component was a welcome surprise. This funding will be used to maintain the town’s road infrastructure and means the municipality can reduce its need for debt to pay for these works” noted Mayor Toby Randell.
In December 2021, the Ontario government announced an additional $1 billion for critical infrastructure projects that support economic growth and job creation in small, rural and northern communities, bringing the government’s total investment to nearly $2 billion dollars over five years.
Judy Brown, Mayor of Perth said, “The announcement of the OCIF grant reached me in the middle of a day of budget deliberations. As Council struggled to find a way to meet the challenges of upgrading or replacing our aging infrastructure, without burdening our taxpayers with large tax increases, this news was most welcome. A grant of over $539,000 will go a long way to replacing aging streets and buildings. Without grants like these from the provincial government, our town would face an uphill battle to manage our infrastructure challenges.”
Other communities that received funding through the OCIF include Beckwith (just over $302,000), Central Frontenac (just over $810,000), Frontenac County ($100,000), Lanark County (just over $1 million), Lanark Highlands (just under $122,000), Mississippi Mills (just over $546,000), Montague ($115,000), North Frontenac (just over $748,000), South Frontenac (just over $1 million) and Tay Valley ($100,000).
MPP John Jordan Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston
johnjordanmpp.ca
613-284-1630