The Ontario government is spending $1.74-million in Wellington North and $445,000 in Minto to improve road safety, create jobs and strengthen the local economy Perth-Wellington MPP John Wilkinson announced on March 11.
“These vital infrastructure investments, made through the Connecting Link program, will help our rural communities build safer roadways for our families, while stimulating the economy through job creation,” said Wilkinson.
“Our local economy, especially our farmers and factories, depend on well maintained roads and bridges.”
The program helps municipalities repair roads and bridges that connect two ends of a provincial highway. It is part of the Open Ontario Plan to spend over $32-billion in infrastructure to strengthen the economy. Officials say it is creating and sustaining over 300,000 jobs.
The work includes repairing the Queen Street Bridge on Highway 89 and rebuilding Highway 6 from Highway 89 to the south limit in Mount Forest. As well, it will repair the Coon Creek Bridge on Highway 9, in Clifford.
“On behalf of Wellington North I’d like to thank the Province of Ontario and MPP John Wilkinson for their support for these much needed infrastructure repairs and upgrades,” said Wellington North Mayor Ray Tout.
“These projects help keep the roadways in Mount Forest safe and attract tourism, trade and commerce to Wellington North.”
Minto Mayor George Bridge said, “The infrastructure in Clifford that will be upgraded through this program will help keep our local economy strong and local families safe. I’d like to thank the province for partnering with Minto to make this happen.”
There are about 350 kilometres of roads and 70 bridges along connecting links in 77 municipalities across Ontario. This year, the province is providing 23 communities with $18.2-million in tax dollars for road and bridge repairs.
Since 2003, the province has spent more than $129-million in the Connecting Link program to help eligible municipalities fund more than 240 road and bridge improvement projects. Ontario spent $2.8-billion in highway construction in Ontario in 2010-11.
