Eleven Perth Wellington municipalities will share more than $14.2 million from the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund (OCIF).
Perth Wellington MPP Randy Pettapiece said this is more than twice the amount allocated in the previous year. Overall, the province says it is the largest increase since the program was created.
“When it comes to local priorities, local municipalities know best,” said Perth-Wellington MPP Randy Pettapiece. “I am so pleased that the province is supporting them in such a significant way.
“It respects our unique needs in rural and small-town communities,” Pettapiece added. “For some, the need is in roads and bridges. For others, it may be water and wastewater infrastructure.”
“Communities are the heartbeat of this province and we know they are facing unique infrastructure needs and challenges, especially as we navigate through the pandemic,” said Kinga Surma, Minister of Infrastructure.
Surma added: “Our government has been with them every step of the way. When we were told more funding supports were needed, we listened and acted in a meaningful way by providing the largest OCIF increase since the start of the program. By doing so, we’re providing stability and predictability to small, rural and northern communities to repair, upgrade, and modernize their critical infrastructure so that they are safer, healthier, and more reliable for all.”
For 2021, approximately $200 million in funding was allocated to 424 small, rural and northern communities. Municipalities may accumulate their funding for up to five years to address larger infrastructure projects.
The province’s investment in OCIF is part of the 2021 Ontario Economic Outlook and Fiscal Review: Build Ontario. The plan lays out how the government will build Ontario’s future with shovels in the ground for highways, hospitals, long-term care, housing, and high-speed internet.
Municipality
2021 Grant
2022 Grant
County of Wellington
$1,863,466
$3,759,468
City of Stratford
$1,090,577
$2,355,825
County of Perth
$495,565
$973,022
Municipality of West Perth
$564,484
$1,103,041
Town of Minto
$506,543
$994,250
Town of North Perth
$410,334
$934,703
Town of St. Marys
$279,338
$658,582
Township of Mapleton
$399,840
$862,237
Township of Perth East
$201,072
$425,403
Township of Perth South
$146,262
$322,094
Township of Wellington North
$1,030,120
$1,903,374
Total
$6,987,601
$14,291,999