Building Ontario with Investments in Small, Rural and Northern Communities

Pete Fisher
3 years ago
• Categories: Local

Province supports economic growth and job creation with additional funding for roads, bridges, water and wastewater projects

The Ontario government is providing over $12,338,000 to help build and repair local infrastructure in Northumberland-Peterborough South. This investment is part of the
government’s plan to build Ontario by getting shovels in the ground on critical infrastructure projects that support economic recovery, growth and job creation.

Municipality 2022 Allocation
Municipality of Clarington $3,866,848
County of Northumberland $1,532,597
Municipality of Brighton $807,143
Municipality of Port Hope $1,472,262
Municipality of Trent Hills $1,250,685
Town of Cobourg $1,395,417
Township of Alnwick-Haldimand $625,513
Township of Asphodel-Norwood $339,587
Township of Cramahe $226,844
Township of Hamilton $645,034
Township of Otonabee-South
Monaghan $176,245

The announcement is part of the government’s additional $1 billion investment to help build and repair roads, bridges, water and wastewater infrastructure in small, rural and northern
communities. The multi-year funding is being delivered through the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund (OCIF) and will bring the government’s total investment to nearly $2 billion
over the next five years.

“Nearly doubling the government’s annual investment in the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund is great news for our communities,” said MPP David Piccini. “This investment will provide
additional certainty for our small and rural communities so that they can address local infrastructure projects. Our government continues to build the foundation for recovery and prosperity by getting shovels in the ground on critical infrastructure projects in communities across the province.”

“Our small, rural and northern communities will be at the forefront of our efforts to build Ontario for the future,” said Premier Doug Ford. “With this investment, we are saying ‘yes’ to helping
these communities build and repair the vital infrastructure they need to keep their communities working for decades to come.”

Funding allocations will be based on a formula that recognizes the different needs and economic conditions of communities across the province. The new formula will include an increased funding minimum of $100,000 for all communities per year, up from $50,000 over previous years.

“Communities are the heartbeat of this province and we know they are facing unique infrastructure needs and challenges, especially as we navigate through the pandemic,” said Kinga Surma, Minister of Infrastructure. “Our government has been with them every step of the way. When we were told more funding supports were needed, we listened and acted in a meaningful way by providing the largest OCIF increase since the start of the program. By doing so, we’re providing stability and predictability to small, rural and northern communities to repair,
upgrade, and modernize their critical infrastructure so that they are safer, healthier, and more reliable for all.”

The Province’s investment in OCIF is part of the 2021 Ontario Economic Outlook and Fiscal Review: Build Ontario. The plan lays out how the government will build Ontario’s future with
shovels in the ground for highways, hospitals, long-term care, housing, and high-speed internet.

To ensure all families, workers and businesses in the province have a better and brighter future, our government’s planned infrastructure investments over the next decade total more than $148
billion.

QUICK FACTS
· Through OCIF, the County of Peterborough will be receiving $1,253,648 in funding.

· The OCIF supports local infrastructure projects for communities with populations under 100,000, along with all rural and northern communities.

· For 2021, approximately $200 million in funding was allocated to 424 small, rural and northern communities. Municipalities may accumulate their funding for up to five years to address larger infrastructure projects.

· Ontario also provides funding to communities through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP), a $30-billion, 10-year infrastructure program cost-shared between federal, provincial and municipal governments, and other partners. Ontario’s share per project will be up to $10.2 billion spread across five streams: Rural and Northern, Transit Infrastructure, Community, Culture and Recreation, Green and COVID19 Resilience Infrastructure.

· The 2021 Ontario Economic Outlook and Fiscal Review: Build Ontario is the government’s seventh financial update since the pandemic began, highlighting the government’s commitment to providing regular updates on Ontario’s finances, even during this uncertain economic period. It is part of the government’s plan for recovery driven by economic growth.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
· Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund Recipients
· 2021 Ontario Economic Outlook and Fiscal Review: Build Ontario
· Ontario Builds map