The provincial government is giving municipalities until August 14th to apply for a new round of infrastructure funding.
Another $250 million is available.
The president of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, Colin Best, says it will help meet local and provincial housing targets.
“Municipalities are doing everything within their power to meet provincial housing targets,” says Best.
“We know these targets are ambitious and they need to be. Municipal governments are equally ambitious and will do everything we can to help Ontario meet its housing goals.”
Best notes that Ontario’s municipalities contribute almost $9 billion to top up provincial and federal contributions.
“Funding for water, wastewater and infrastructure is a number one thing that municipalities need to make housing targets a reality. Today’s investment will help municipalities across the province get one step closer to their ambitious goals.”
The province doled out $970 million in a first round of funding that went to 54 projects in 60 municipalities to improve drinking water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure.
It is part of a $1.8 billion commitment the Ford government made in this year’s budget, which included the Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund.
“This fund is going to help municipalities repair, rehabilitate and expand drinking water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure. Importantly, it’s going to help get shovels in the ground faster,” says Premier Doug Ford.
Because of the high demand for provincial support, the province is taking $275 million from a separate infrastructure funding program and $120 million earmarked for small, rural and northern communities to support future requests.
