Written by Donna Mayer
Ontario’s infrastructure minister announced the province’s final three nominees for funding through the Rural and Northern stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program on August 9.
Three projects in Wellington—Halton Hills were nominated by the province to the federal government for approval:
- Township of Puslinch: upgrade of Moyer’s Bridge and reconstruction of McLean Road/ Concession 7 from the intersection of McLean Road/Concession 7 to County Road 34
- Town of Halton Hills: improvements to Glen Lawson Road/ Third Line
- Town of Erin: replacement of 8th Line Bridge
The combined investment from the federal, provincial and local governments for the three projects will be approximately $4,013,750. Ontario’s share per project will be up to 33.33 per cent, with the federal government picking up 50 per cent of the costs, and the balance from the municipal tier.
“These investments are creating good jobs and growing the economy, shaping the future for hard-working families in Ontario,” said Ontario infrastructure minister Laurie Scott.
The Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program is a $30-billion, 10-year infrastructure program cost-shared between federal, provincial and local governments, spread across four streams: rural and northern, public transit, green, and community, culture and recreation.
With the announcement of the Wellington—Halton Hills projects, the funding for this stream has now been fully allocated. This brings the total number of projects to have been nominated under the rural and northern stream to144.
The province is now focusing attention on the public transit stream of the program, which itself has two streams: the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA), and all areas outside of the GTHA.
Ministry of infrastructure staff are in the process of reviewing applications made by municipalities outside of the GTHA for the Public Transit proposal call that closed on May 28, 2019.
Applications for Public Transit funding for municipalities inside the GTHA is now open and will close on October 24, 2019.
The Investing in Canada Infrastructure Plan was launched by the federal government last spring, drawing on funding commitments made in the 2016 and 2017 federal budgets.
Through the plan the federal government is investing more than $180 billion over 12 years, in five main infrastructure priorities: public transit; green; social; trade and transportation; rural and northern communities.