Annual allocations for the County of Wellington and its seven lower tier municipalities will total more than $1.5 million under the province’s new Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund (OCIF).
The province announced in August that half of the new $100 million OCIF would flow through a formula-based process, rather than an application-based process, which municipal leaders argue creates winners and losers among cash strapped lower tiers.
“These funds will be used by the local municipalities to address local infrastructure issues, helping to revitalize communities and create local jobs,” states a press release issued on Nov. 17 by the Perth Wellington Provincial Liberal Association.
Liberal association spokesperson Stewart Skinner, who ran unsuccessfully for the Liberals in the last provincial election, welcomed the announcement of funding.
“In the recent election campaign, the Liberal party made a clear commitment to tackle infrastructure head on and this announcement shows that our party is serious about investing in rural infrastructure.”
Skinner added, “Both opposition parties voted against these funds when they voted against this year’s budget. If it were not for the leadership of Kathleen Wynne and the Ontario Liberal Party, we would not have seen over $1.3 million dollars being invested across the riding and critical projects would have been delayed,” he added.
Skinner added that the budget, passed in July of this year, makes the fund permanent, giving municipalities’ confidence to make long-range infrastructure plans.
“During the 2014 election campaign, I heard time and time again that our local governments need bankable, predictable funding programs to address infrastructure needs. The OCIF has been designed to deliver long term results for infrastructure across rural Ontario and it complements funds like the Rural Economic Development fund to empower municipal governments to take a holistic approach to growth.”
Under the program, Wellington County is allocated $464,800 in annual funding. Centre Wellington is allocated $293,000, Erin $59,700, Guelph-Eramosa $114,800, Mapleton $109,200, Minto $131,000, Puslinch $42,900 and Wellington North $294,800.
