The province is doling out infrastructure funding to area municipalities.
Vic Fedeli, MPP for Nipissing, announced nearly $1.3 million through the new Northern Ontario Resource Development Support (NORDS) Fund.
The fund shares the benefits of mining and forestry with municipalities for building infrastructure.
North Bay receives the bulk of the local money, $400,000.
Callander, East Ferris and Powassan are all receiving over $100,000.
In total, 11 communities in Nipissing are receiving money.
The Municipality of West Nipissing, in the riding of Timiskaming-Cochrane, is receiving $336,000.
“Our government’s new NORDS Fund will help area municipalities address unique local challenges and support sustainable long-term growth for residents and businesses,” says Fedeli. “NORDS will support economic development in our area and create favourable conditions for businesses to thrive, grow, and create good jobs.”
The Ontario government is providing $15 million annually to Northern municipalities to help support infrastructure projects over the next five years.
Here are the funding allocations for Nipissing:
North Bay – $400,000
Bonfield – $90,326
Callander – $115,142
Calvin – $60,352
Chisholm – $74,203
East Ferris – $128,416
Mattawa – $87,693
Mattawan – $54,256
Nipissing – $97,685
Papineau-Cameron – $69,947
Powassan – $103,600
The Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities is welcoming the funding announcement.
Danny Whalen, FONOM President, says the new revenue-sharing arrangement will see funds dispersed to municipalities to help offset costs of repairs and maintenance of local infrastructure impacted by resource operations.
Whalen says FONOM lobbied for the change and the news is welcome since it will help communities address their impacted road networks.
Funding for year one of the program will be distributed by March 31, 2022.
**With files from Rosiland Russell