FORD SERVES UP $5.8M FOR LOCAL ROADS, BRIDGES
Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com
PARRY SOUND — Premier Doug Ford today served up a slice of the provincial pie to 26 local municipalities here totalling $5.8 million.
From eight townships and villages in the west side of Parry Sound-Muskoka riding, which received the smallest portion of $50,000 each, to the District of Muskoka’s share of $2.6 million, the money is for road and bridge repairs, and water and wastewater infrastructure.
It’s part of the province’s efforts for more investment in small, rural and northern communities through the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund (OCIF).
Ford was joined at the Stockey Centre by the Minister of Infrastructure Laurie Scott and MPP Norm Miller in making the announcement, said a government release later this morning.
See Scott’s video tweet of the announcement attached:
https://twitter.com/i/broadcasts/1vOGwaryOdqxB
“I know that small municipalities like those in Parry Sound-Muskoka face challenges in maintaining their essential infrastructure so I am pleased to announce this funding,” said Miller. “This money will help build and repair roads, bridges, water and wastewater infrastructure in our communities which will in turn improve safety for residents and help our communities attract both people and businesses.”
The amounts are as follows:
| Municipality | OCIF Allocation for 2020 |
| Township of Carling | $50,000.00 |
| Township of Joly | $50,000.00 |
| Township of Machar | $50,000.00 |
| Township of McMurrich-Monteith | $50,000.00 |
| Township of Perry | $50,000.00 |
| Township of Ryerson | $50,000.00 |
| Village of South River | $50,000.00 |
| Municipality of Whitestone | $50,000.00 |
| Township of McKellar | $54,514.00 |
| Township of Georgian Bay | $61,249.00 |
| Municipality of Magnetawan | $68,261.00 |
| Village of Sundridge | $73,322.00 |
| Township of Strong | $78,626.00 |
| Town of Kearney | $86,630.00 |
| Township of Armour | $87,003.00 |
| Township of Lake of Bays | $87,640.00 |
| Town of Gravenhurst | $110,245.00 |
| Township of the Archipelago | $111,775.00 |
| Village of Burk’s Falls | $130,463.00 |
| Municipality of McDougall | $149,179.00 |
| Township of Seguin | $162,321.00 |
| Township of Muskoka Lakes | $196,177.00 |
| Town of Bracebridge | $246,774.00 |
| Town of Huntsville | $337,498.00 |
| Town of Parry Sound | $746,185.00 |
| District of Muskoka | $2,616,152.00 |
| Total | $5,804,014.00 |
The funding is a part of Ontario’s approximately $200 million commitment to 424 communities addressing their core infrastructure projects and asset management planning needs in 2020.
“This investment provides the predictable and stable infrastructure funding small, rural and northern municipalities have asked for,” said Scott. “With this OCIF funding we are working directly with our municipal partners to deliver community infrastructure.”
Recognizing that municipalities have different infrastructure needs, the province uses a straightforward and transparent formula that examines various social and economic factors to determine funding allocations across the province.
The government says the OCIF provides stable and predictable funding for communities with populations under 100,000, along with all rural and northern communities.
Approximately $200 million in formula-based funding was allocated to small, rural and northern communities for 2019. Municipalities may accumulate their formula 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.
Ontario’s share per project will be up to 33.33 per cent, or $10.2 billion spread across four streams: Rural and Northern, Public Transit, Green, and Community, Culture and Recreation.
Email mark@muskokatoday.com
