Wellington North sees 4% increase in provincial grants

KENILWORTH – Wellington North is receiving more money from provincial infrastructure grants than it did last year.

Despite a decrease of nearly six per cent in the “fiscal circumstances” category of Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund (OMPF) dollars, overall funds being provided this year are up by $55,300, or 1.2%.

That’s an overall OMPF increase from $1.3 million in 2022 to $1.35 million in 2023, thanks to a “rural communities” category which is up by just over 7% or $72,400.

In 2021, the township received a total of $1.27 million in OMPF dollars.

OMPF taxpayer dollars are “broadly unconditional” according to a report on the allocations by township finance director Farhad Hossain, and come from a $500-million pool divvied out to municipalities across the province.

The province is also providing the township with more taxpayer dollars this year through the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund (OCIF), providing for aging infrastructure in smaller and rural communities.

Wellington North’s “fair share of the funding” is based on a formula and compliance with asset management planning, Hossain wrote.

But there’s a change to the formula this year.

Funding in past years was based on the closing cost of assets, Hossain explained, but this year’s allocation looks to the future through a lens of “current replacement values” detailed in the township’s management plan.

OCIF dollars have increased by 4% or $75,797, from $1.9 million in 2022 to $1.97 million in 2023.

In 2021, the township received just over $1 million.

With both provincial grants considered, the township will receive a 4% increase in provincial taxpayer dollars, from $3.2 million in 2022 to $3.33 million this year.