Puslinch councillors here are concerned a recent funding rejection may be the shape of things to come when it comes to infrastructure funding in Ontario.
The township was turned down for a grant ot help complete a $134,577 project on French’s bridge.
Small, Rural and Northern Municipal Infrastructure Fund (SRNMIF) manager Jennifer Bousfield recently wrote to council thanking the municipality for its expression of interest (EOI).
“Unfortunately, your project proposal has not been selected to move forward to the application phase of the SRNMIF Capital Program,” wrote Bousfield.
She stated, “Nearly 350 EOIs were received. Your EOI did not pass the pre-screen primarily because other applicants with highly-critical projects had more challenging economic conditions (as measured by property assessments and incomes).”
As council reviewed the correspondence on Dec. 18, councillor Wayne Stokley commented the township had not even passed the pre-screening process.
“It seems we’re not having too much luck with any of the grants were asking about,” said Stokley.
While he believed the municipality would still be able to deal with not having the money, Stokely noted, “It sure would be nice to get some of the grants which come around.”
He alluded to many local municipalities in Wellington and Waterloo which are getting the same types of letters.
“It seems you have to have a highly-critical project … and I’m not certain of their definition of a highly-critical project.”
Mayor Dennis Lever agreed.
“Indeed the wording of the document is troubling as well,” said Lever.
He pointed to letter noting other areas had “more challenging economic conditions.”
Lever added reference was made to local property assessments and income levels.
“It is not a good bellweather for future applications,” Lever said.
