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McGuinty Government
Investment Benefits the Municipality of Central Huron -
Apr 23, 2007
Clinton – Residents of Huron County will benefit from improved
local infrastructure for recreation through a $350,000 investment to the
Municipality of Central Huron for an equine and large animal training
and community facility.
This investment was part of the McGuinty government’s
$140 million Rural Infrastructure Investment Initiative, as part of its
ongoing commitment to build and sustain the economies of Ontario’s small
and rural communities, announced Carol Mitchell MPP for Huron Bruce
today.
This is part of the 2007 Budget, where the government
addressed the infrastructure needs in small and rural municipalities by
allocating an additional $70 million to provide safe and reliable local
infrastructure in Ontario communities.
“This is great news for the residents of the Central
Huron and surrounding areas,” said Mitchell. “The prosperity and high
quality of life in rural communities depends heavily on the
revitalization of our infrastructure for the training and education of
the areas youth”.
The Rural Infrastructure Investment Initiative is a
one-time, application-based program. Funding was allocated through a
competitive process, with applications evaluated against a set of
criteria established to ensure projects meet provincial priorities and
have a positive economic impact on the local community.
The program builds on other significant government
undertakings designed to sustain and stimulate Ontario’s small and rural
municipal economies, including the government’s ReNew Ontario
initiative, a strategic five-year infrastructure plan to invest more
than $30 billion in the repair, revitalization and expansion of
Ontario’s public infrastructure by 2010.
Other government initiatives that demonstrate the
McGuinty government is on the side of families in rural and small
communities in Ontario include:
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Continuing to be there for farmers when they need
support. The Ministry of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs
expenditures for farm income stabilization and support were more
that $1 billion over the 2003-04 to 2006-07 fiscal years.
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Investing $10 million to help expand broadband
coverage to the most ready rural and remote communities in southern
Ontario. Through the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation the
government will also work to expand broadband and cellular services
to connect most of northern Ontario within three years.
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Investing in rural communities through the Rural
Economic Development (RED) Program. Since October 2003, 94 projects
have been approved with a total provincial commitment of over $28
million. Providing $400 million in 2006 through Move Ontario for
communities primarily outside the Greater Toronto Area for upgrades
to local roads and bridges
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Investing, together with the federal government
and municipalities, almost $900 million through the Canada Ontario
Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund (COMRIF).
“This initiative reflects our government’s commitment
to strengthen small and rural communities,” said David Caplan, Minister
of Public Infrastructure Renewal. “The government is on the side of
families in small and rural communities. That’s why we’re providing
resources and opportunities such as this to address key infrastructure
needs and ensure safe, sustainable and strong communities.”
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Contact: Carol Mitchell, MPP Huron-Bruce 519-482-5630 |
