The Ontario government is providing $22 million to 14 municipalities across Lambton-Kent-Middlesex to repair local roads, bridges and other municipal infrastructure.
“This investment is part of our government’s plan to build Ontario by getting shovels in the ground on projects that support economic recovery, growth and job creation,” said Monte McNaughton, minister of labour.
Projects include road and bridge repairs in Chatham-Kent, the reconstruction of Ravenswood Line and sewer projects in Lambton Shores, construction of a new Fire and EMS station in North Middlesex, and renovations to Queen Street in Strathroy-Caradoc.
“Across the province, small and rural towns are on the comeback, helping drive economic growth,” said McNaughton, MPP for Lambton-Kent-Middlesex. “As more people look to the benefits of small-town living, this investment will bring thousands of new jobs to the region and ensure we have the services needed to support our residents.”
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 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.
The Province’s investment in OCIF is part of the 2021 Ontario Economic Outlook and Fiscal Review: Build Ontario. It supports local infrastructure projects for communities with populations under 100,000, along with all rural and northern communities.
In 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.
2022 grant totals:
| County of Lambton | $2.3 million |
| Municipality of Brooke-Alvinston | $273,665 |
| Municipality of Lambton Shores | $1.9 million |
| Municipality of Middlesex Centre | $2.1 million |
| Municipality of North Middlesex | $563,777 |
| Municipality of Southwest Middlesex | $738,271 |
| Township of Adelaide-Metcalfe | $193,101 |
| Township of Dawn-Euphemia | $138,032 |
| Township of Lucan Biddulph | $401,088 |
| Township of Strathroy-Caradoc | $1.7 million |
| Township of Warwick | $506,927 |
| Village of Newbury | $100,000 |
| Municipality of Chatham-Kent | $10 million |
| County of Middlesex | $1.3 million |