Anderson: funding must be equitable

Even with a successful funding application for Harriston’s sewer, Minto council wants to see more equitable funding for municipalities in the province.

Treasurer Gord Duff noted that if one read the paper last week, “You may already know.”

Duff explained Minto was one of the communities that was successful in the Building Canada Fund for its application submitted last November.

He said with funding equally divided among the federal, provincial and municipal governments, Minto will be getting $637,666 from the federal and provincial governments. He said Public Works Dir­ec­tor Norm Fisk is working on the timing, with the hope that the project begins later this year.

Mayor David Anderson noted there were a few municipalities unsuccessful in this round. He said the federal and provincial governments are still looking at a “per application” basis which means it is not a “per project” basis.

While Minto was successful in its recent bid, it knows what it is like to be on  the other side. Anderson said the town was “so very unsuccessful” in the COMRIF applications.

He added even though it appears the local MP and MPP agree with Minto in the concerns over the grant process, there still needs to be a way to make it more equitable.

“We be anxiously awaiting rounds two, three and four,” Anderson said.

 

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