Guelph-Eramosa council will be applying for provincial infrastructure funding to replace the Rockwood sewage pumping station and to pave and widen Township Road 3 from Highway 7 to Wellington Road 30.
Combined, the projects are expected to cost about $2 million.
The provincial government recently announced $544 million would be set aside under the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund and Building Canada Fund – Small Communities Fund to finance municipal infrastructure projects.
Municipalities are eligible for funding if they have 100,000 or fewer residents, have more than 25 per cent rural residents or are located in northern Ontario.
This formula-based portion of the fund will provide Guelph-Eramosa with a minimum of $25,000 for 2015 according to a township report.
The maximum grant is 90% funding to a maximum of $2 million for road, bridge, water and wastewater projects. The formula is based on fiscal ability and infrastructure stock and will be determined on a competitive application basis.
Municipalities are allowed to propose two projects, one under each program, based on current infrastructure demands in the community.
The township of Guelph-Eramosa has recommended that funding be allocated for wastewater and road improvements.
The wastewater project entails a complete replacement of the Lou’s Boulevard sewage pumping station in Rockwood, identified as a critical project in the asset management plan put forward by council. The funding would also cover the installment of additional generators at Huntingdon and replace its electrical system. This work would be completed by December 2016 and cost approximately $1 million.
The second proposal recommends improvements to Township Road 3 from Highway 7 to Wellington Road 30. To meet requirements, road projects must be on a route that sees a 3,000 daily traffic average, and township officials say this is the only eligible road in the municipality. If the application is successful, the project would include engineering, widening and paving.
Engineers R.J. Burnside and Associates are currently conducting a survey of the project location to be completed before the December funding application deadline. Currently the cost is estimated to be around $1 million.
Mayor Chris White said the two projects were selected based on parameters set out by the province and areas of need in the township.
“We picked Road 3 because it’s one of our busiest roads and it fits the parameters,” White said. “It needs work.”
He says the sewage station work was chosen because “we want to get that sewer plant up to grade. We’re upgrading the sewer plant across the board in Rockwood … wastewater is pretty important to us.”
If funding is approved for the two projects, the Small Communities Fund would cover two thirds of the project cost, with five years provided for completion.
“All this is, at this point, is a submission of interest,” White says. “If it’s approved then we move to the next step and get more detail in, but both of these projects will certainly fit whatever the timelines are.”
In her report to council, CAO Kim Wingrove highlighted that currently the township has $650,000 in wastewater reserves and $455,000 in public works reserves to contribute to the remaining project costs.
Confirmation of the allocated amount will be announced later in the month.
New staff member
Guelph-Eramosa council also appointed Carol House as the township’s new building inspector at its Sept. 15 meeting.
