Wellington North councillor seeks support for plan to pressure province on Connecting Links
A Wellington North councillor plans to seek support in a bid to pressure the province into restoring Connecting Link funding to municipalities.
The township faces a $1.16 million bill to repair the Rick Hopkins Bridge, which spans Highway 6 at the south end of Mount Forest. Prior to the provincial government’s decision to end Connecting Link funding, the project would have been eligible for 90 per cent funding.
Councillor Andy Lennox said the loss of Connecting Link cash “is one of the most important issues that we face in the near future.”
The situation is comparable, he said, to “telling the citizens of Toronto that they are responsible for the 401 as it travels through their borders.”
Lennox noted the Connecting Link issue affects every sector of the regional economy and said he has arranged for meetings with local organizations such as the local Chamber of Commerce and the Wellington Federation of Agriculture in an attempt to develop a united stand on the issue.
“Certainly we are not alone on the issue of connecting Link funding. This affects municipalities all around us,” stated Lennox.
Simply refusing to fix the bridge is not an option, the councillor pointed out, as that would impact local residents and businesses as well.
“It’s a huge problem. We can’t afford to simply shut off the bridge, but we certainly can’t afford to fix it by ourselves,” agreed Mayor Ray Tout.
