Communities in the Parry Sound-Muskoka riding will benefit from a provincial grant totalling $11.4 million.
Riding MPP Graydon Smith says the money is from the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund (OCIF) which is designed to support economic growth and job creation. Smith says programs like OCIF help communities renew their critical infrastructure. OCIF helps to pay for road, bridge, water, and wastewater projects.
For 2024 the Ontario government has set aside $400 million in OCIF grants to help 425 small, rural and northern communities including 26 municipalities in the Parry Sound-Muskoka riding.
In the Almaguin Highlands, Armour Township has been allocated $153,173. Mayor Rod Ward says the allocation is down from 2023 when Armour received $180,204.
Because Armour doesn't have water and sewer infrastructure, it applies the OCIF grant to road and bridge projects.
A feature of the grant is that municipalities don't have to spend the entire allocation in one year. They are allowed to accumulate grants for up to five years to help cover the cost of larger infrastructure projects.
This is what Armour did in 2023. It didn't spend the entire allocation and about $105,000 was carried over for 2024.
John Theriault, Armour's Clerk-Treasurer/Administrator says the topped-up funding will be used to upgrade several gravel roads but the bulk of the funds, about $180,000, are being used to replace the North Pickerel Lake Road bridge.
Sundridge is getting $145,291 and it's customary for the municipality to use its OCIF grant on road construction and rehabilitation projects.
Council will have a better idea of where exactly to direct the funds as it gets ready to discuss its 2024 budget.
It's the same story for Joly and Strong which are next door to Sundridge.
Strong was awarded $114,317 and could know by February when the 2024 budget is expected to be approved, where and how the grant is applied. However, the municipality expects to apply the grant to its road infrastructure. Joly received $100,000 but the town council won't start talking about its allocation until its January 16 meeting.
Ryerson also received $100,000 and council has yet to decide where to allocate the funds.
$100,000 also went to Machar Township and the budget will determine where the funds go.
Another community receiving $100,000 was South River. Clerk-Administrator Don McArthur says the dollar amount is a reduction from the $115,000 the Village received for 2023. McArthur says regarding the 2024 award, although no decision has been made on how to spend it, the OCIF annual funding is generally applied to water capital projects.
Magnetawan was awarded $262,654 and will decide how to spend it when budget talks begin in 2024.
See: Two area dams face reconstruction
Other Almaguin communities receiving OCIF grants are Burk's Falls ($205,406), Kearney ($202,643), Perry ($106,378), Whitestone (132,250) and McMurrich-Monteith ($100,000).
Rocco Frangione is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of the North Bay Nugget. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.
