Canada and Ontario invest more than $1.6 million in municipal infrastructure to respond to the impacts of COVID-19

PETERBOROUGH, ON, Aug. 13, 2021 /CNW/ - The governments of Canada and Ontario are investing more than $1.6 million to protect the health and well-being of residents in six communities across Ontario.

Today, the Honourable Maryam Monsef, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Rural Economic Development and Member of Parliament for Peterborough-Kawartha, on behalf of the Honourable Catherine McKenna, Federal Minister of Infrastructure and Communities; the Honourable Kinga Surma, Ontario's Minister of Infrastructure; and Dave Smith, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry, and Member of Provincial Parliament for Peterborough—Kawartha, announced joint support to improve recreational facilities, municipal buildings, and a shoreline rehabilitation project.

Communities across Canada are on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic and need immediate assistance to ensure their public infrastructure is safe and reliable.

That is why both orders of government have been taking decisive action to support families, businesses and communities, and continue to look ahead to see what more can be done in these unprecedented times.

The Government of Canada is investing over $1.2 million in Ontario communities through the COVID-19 Resilience Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program. The Government of Ontario is contributing more than $323,000.

Investments in the City of Peterborough will upgrade the HVAC system at the Sports and Wellness Centre by replacing the dehumidification unit. These improvements will provide better ventilation throughout the facility for clients and staff to enjoy year-round.

The remainder of funding will support the rehabilitation of the shoreline in the Town of Goderich by installing a retaining wall to provide better protection against shoreline erosion along Lake Huron; high-speed broadband internet will be installed in the municipal office in the Municipality of Morris-Turnberry for the benefit of staff and visitors; the town soccer clubhouse will undergo repairs in the City of Thorold; and upgrades will be made to the municipal office, firehall and library in the Village of Newberry. Furthermore, funding will support new sidewalks and a new crosswalk on Inglis Street in the Township of North Dumfries.

The COVID-19 Resilience Infrastructure Stream, implemented in response to the pandemic, allows the Government of Canada to invest up to 80 per cent of eligible costs for projects in provinces, and up to 100 per cent for projects in territories and Indigenous communities. The Province of Ontario will invest 20 per cent of the eligible costs for projects across the province. 

Quotes

"The COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on the health and well-being of all Canadians. Now more than ever, we understand the need to support our municipalities so that they can maintain their assets in order to continue providing access to quality programming and essential services. That's why we're investing over $1.2 million – 80 cents on every dollar of total funding – through the COVID-19 Resilience Infrastructure Stream to improve recreational facilities, connectivity, and essential infrastructure in six communities across Southern and Eastern Ontario. Canada's infrastructure plan invests in thousands of projects, creates jobs across the country, and builds cleaner, more inclusive communities."

The Honourable Maryam Monsef, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Rural Economic Development and Member of Parliament for Peterborough-Kawartha, on behalf of the Honourable Catherine McKenna, Federal Minister of Infrastructure and Communities

"Reliable municipal infrastructure is critical to keeping communities in Ontario safe and prosperous. Providing funding for these six important projects will have a meaningful impact on the families and individuals in those communities. Investing in Ontario's towns and municipalities helps to maintain the physical and mental health of our residents. As we recover from the impacts of COVID-19, these investments are more important now than ever."

The Honourable Kinga Surma, Ontario's Minister of Infrastructure

"These repairs and upgrades in six municipalities will improve the health and safety of the important places where our communities gather together. As we emerge from the pandemic, it is more important than ever that we ensure the lifespan of municipal infrastructure is maintained, so that it can be enjoyed now and in the years to come."

Dave Smith, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry, and Member of Provincial Parliament for Peterborough—Kawartha

"We are grateful that the Sports & Wellness Center Rehabilitation Project has been selected as one of 6 projects receiving funding through Infrastructure Canada. This funding will support improvements that will serve families in Peterborough for many years to come."

Diane Therrien, Mayor, City of Peterborough

Quick facts

• Through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Plan, the Government of Canada is investing more than $180 billion over 12 years in public transit projects, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, trade and transportation routes, and Canada's rural and northern communities.
• The Government of Canada has invested over $14.4 billion in more than 3,900 infrastructure projects across Ontario under the Investing in Canada plan.
• Ontario is investing $10.2 billion under the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program to improve public transit; community, culture and recreation; green, and rural and northern community and other priority infrastructure.
• Through the COVID-19 Resilience Infrastructure Stream, over $3 billion is available to provide provinces and territories with added flexibility to fund quick-start, short-term projects.
• To support Canadians and communities during the COVID-19 pandemic, the over $33-billion Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program now includes a COVID-19 Resilience Infrastructure Stream to help fund pandemic-resilient infrastructure. Existing program streams have also been adapted to include more eligible project categories.
• The COVID-19 Resilience Infrastructure Stream funding stream guarantees a minimum of $100,000 to each of the province's 444 municipalities. Additional funding has been allocated to municipalities based on a variety of factors, including the value of infrastructure and median household income in each municipality.
• Across Canada, since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic the Government of Canada has contributed $9.7 billion to 3,500 infrastructure projects.
• 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 Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program. This stream supports the construction of new facilities and upgrades to existing facilities that improve community infrastructure (e.g., community centres, libraries), recreational venues (e.g., arenas, recreational spaces) and cultural spaces (e.g., theatres, museums). 

Related Product

Backgrounder

Canada and Ontario invest more than $1.6 million in municipal infrastructure to respond to the impacts of COVID-19

Joint federal and provincial funding through the Investing in Canada Plan will support six communities throughout Ontario.

The Government of Canada is investing more than $1.2 million towards these projects through the COVID-19 Resilience Stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program. The Government of Ontario is contributing more than $323,000 toward these projects.

The COVID-19 Resilience Infrastructure Stream, implemented in response to the pandemic, allows the Government of Canada to invest up to 80 per cent of eligible costs for projects in provinces, and up to 100 per cent for projects in territories and Indigenous communities. The Ontario government will invest 20 per cent of the eligible costs for projects across the province.

Funding will support the rehabilitation of municipal infrastructure in six communities throughout Ontario, improving safety for community residents, and staff who access these facilities.  

Funding recipients:

Location	Project Title	Description	Federal Contribution	Provincial Contribution
Goderich, Town of	Shoreline Erosion Rehabilitation and Protection	The project will install a retaining wall to provide better protection against shoreline erosion along Lake Huron, while also decreasing future damage to the town's boardwalk and other municipal assets.	$193,309	$48,327
Morris-Turnberry, Municipality of	High-speed broadband internet to Municipal Office	The project will install fiber-optic cable to the municipal office, improving internet connectivity for staff and visitors.	$80,000	$20,000
Newbury, Village of	Upgrades to the Library, Fire hall, and Municipal Office	This project will upgrade library windows, insulate walls and install an electrical sign at the municipal office, and will replace doors and upgrade interior walls and the bathroom at the firehall, improving the quality of the municipal infrastructure.	$80,000	$20,000
North Dumfries, Township of	Sidewalk Construction, Inglis Street Area	The project will construct new sidewalks and a new crosswalk, providing residents with safer pedestrian routes to connect them to  where they need to go.	$80,000	$20,000
Peterborough, City of	Sports & Wellness Center-Rehabilitation Project	The project will upgrade the HVAC system at the Sports and Wellness Centre by replacing the  dehumidification unit and all related works to configure it to the building. These improvements will provide better ventilation throughout the facility for clients and staff.	$843,352	$210,838
Thorold, City of	Repairs to a Recreational Clubhouse	The project will repair the town soccer clubhouse by replacing washroom fixtures and damaged door frames, and repainting. Work also includes repairs to the ceiling and floors, and improved lighting and accessibility, to create a safer and more modern facility for users.	$16,125	$4,031

 

Associated links

Investing in COVID-19 Community Resilience
https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/covid-19-resilience-eng.html

Investing in Canada: Canada's Long-Term Infrastructure Plan
http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/icp-publication-pic-eng.html

Federal infrastructure investments in Ontario
https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/prog-proj-on-eng.html#1 

Investing in Canada Plan Project Map
http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/map

Ontario Builds Project Map
https://www.ontario.ca/page/building-ontario 

Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn
Web: Infrastructure Canada

SOURCE Infrastructure Canada

Emelyana Titarenko, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, 873-355-9576, [email protected]; Hayley Cooper, Press Secretary, Office of the Honourable Kinga Surma, Ontario's Minister of Infrastructure, 437-233-3224, [email protected]; Sofia Sousa-Dias, Communications Branch, Ontario Ministry of Infrastructure, 437-991-3391, [email protected]; Ashley Webster, Assistant to the Mayor, City of Peterborough, 705-742-7777 extension 1870, [email protected]; Media Relations, Infrastructure Canada, 613-960-9251, Toll free: 1-877-250-7154, Email: [email protected]

Related Links

www.infrastructure.gc.ca