Ontario Construction News staff writer
With an $18 million contribution from the Ontario government, Sault Ste. Marie will build a new twin-pad arena.
The funding announcement from infrastructure minister Laure Scott came a year after the province rejected an application for funding for the same project.
“In the face of COVID-19, the Ontario government continues to move forward with infrastructure projects to strengthen communities and create jobs,” Scott said.
“Supporting meaningful projects like this one in Sault Ste. Marie will make a positive difference to the families who live in the community, while also protecting their health and well-being today, and for many years to come.”
Sault councillors had voted to continue the $25 million project without provincial or federal funding.
The province’s new Strategic Priorities Infrastructure Fund (SPIF) was created to provide infrastructure funding to larger, strategic projects and to sports facilities.
“This is a significant investment into one of our community’s longest standing recreational facilities. I recall being a member of city council myself when a CO2 leak at the McMeeken Arena led to a health scare for many parents and families,” said Sault Ste. Marie MP Ross Romano.
Officials say they are encouraged by multiple major infrastructure projects being built in Sault Ste. Marie over the next year.
“With a new $25 million twin-pad arena in the west end of the city and a new $18 million Indigenous Cultural Centre in the east end of the city, and even more exciting news on the way with the construction of our community-based addictions services centre offering residential withdrawal management services,” Romano said. I can’t wait to see all the shovels in the ground as we recover from COVID-19.”
“Important infrastructure projects of this nature require collaboration with and support from different levels of government, and I want to recognize Sault Ste. Marie’s MPP Ross Romano and the Government of Ontario for its very significant contribution in support of this project.”
Across the province and over the next 10 years, Ontario is investing approximately $320 million and Canada is investing approximately $407 million under the Community, Culture and Recreation infrastructure stream of the ICIP.
The funding stream supports the construction of new facilities and upgrades to existing facilities that improve community infrastructure (community centres, libraries), recreational venues (arenas, recreational spaces) and cultural spaces (theatres, museums).
The Sault arena project is one of eight approved across the province based on:
- community support
- operational and financial capacity
- similar services accessible nearby
- demonstrated community need
- value for money
- asset management planning
- regional distribution of projects
Recipient municipalities will be responsible for funding the remaining cost-share as outlined in their original application and overruns.