Dufferin-Caledon communities to receive over $7.6 million in funding for 2022

By Rob Paul

The Ontario government is providing additional help to build and repair local infrastructure in Dufferin-Caledon.

The investment is part of the government's plan to build Ontario by getting shovels in the ground on critical infrastructure projects that support economic recovery, growth, and job creation.

Sylvia Jones, MPP for Dufferin-Caledon, has announced a significant increase for Dufferin-Caledon with communities receiving more than $7.6 million in 2022, across 10 municipalities to address local community infrastructure needs. 2022's grants under this investment are more than double last years. In 2021, Dufferin-Caledon communities received more than $3.4 million.

As part of the grant, the Town of Caledon will be receiving $3,144,160 after receiving $1,413,316 in 2021.

“Our government appreciates how important it is that community infrastructure remains safe and reliable, and that local municipalities have what they need to create jobs, attract economic growth, and provide services that we rely on every day.” said Jones. “This substantial increase in funding in 2022 will help build and repair roads, bridges, water and wastewater infrastructure across Dufferin-Caledon.”

The announcement from December 9 is part of the government's additional $1 billion investment to help build and repair roads, bridges, water and wastewater infrastructure in small, rural and northern communities. The multi-year funding is being delivered through the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund (OCIF) and will bring the government's total investment to nearly $2 billion over the next five years.

“Our small, rural and northern communities will be at the forefront of our efforts to build Ontario for the future,” said Premier Doug Ford. “With this investment, we are saying ‘yes' to helping these communities build and repair the vital infrastructure they need to keep their communities working for decades to come.”

Funding allocations will be based on a formula that recognizes the different needs and economic conditions of communities across the province. The new formula will include an increased funding minimum of $100,000 for all communities per year, up from $50,000 over previous years.

“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. “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.”

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.

To ensure all families, workers and businesses in the province have a better and brighter future, our government's planned infrastructure investments over the next decade total more than $148 billion. The OCIF supports local infrastructure projects for communities with populations under 100,000, along with all rural and northern communities.

For 2021, approximately $200 million in funding was allocated to 424 small, rural and northern communities. Municipalities may accumulate the funding for up to five years to address larger infrastructure projects.