The Ontario government is reinstating a program which will assist municipalities in paying for construction and repairs of roads which connect communities to provincial highways and border crossings.
The government is committing $15 million annually to the new Connecting Links program. Funding will be available beginning in Spring 2016.
“Living in Northern Ontario, it’s tough on the roads. To have access to additional funding for those routes is important,” said Mayor Christian Provenzano.
Steven Del Duca, Minister of Transportation, said the funds will start to flow in 2016.
“We want to make sure we get the design of it right, which is why we will do it with consultations with our municipal partners,” said Del Duca.
“It’s something we’re looking to do immediately,” Provenzano said about the application process for funds.
The new Connecting Links program replaces a similar program that was discontinued in 2013.
Del Duca notes that although the program was discontinued, funds for connecting links were still available through other programs.
“We heard from our municipal partners in all parts of the province that this was an important thing they wanted to see come back,” said Del Duca.
Today’s announcement was originally scheduled to be held at Carmen’s Way in Sault Ste. Marie’s west end but was moved to Roberta Bondar Place due to weather.
“When the minister suggested that’s where the announcement should be, because it is a part of the connecting links, I thought it was really quite nice because it would have been the first time I would have done anything formally at Carmen’s Way as the mayor,” said Provenzano.
Carmen’s Way was named after the mayor’s uncle, Carmen Provenzano, who was former MP for Sault Ste. Marie and passed away in 2005.
“I don’t think I’ve met anybody in my life who was more of an advocate of or cheerleader for this community. He really thought it was the best place in the country,” added Provenzano.
Press releases from MPP David Orazietti and Ministry of Transportation can be seen below:
*************************"This is great news for our city because it means additional provincial investments in our area highways and streets," said Orazietti. "Since 2003 we have made massive investments in our local infrastructure and today's commitment to a new connecting link program builds on our progress."
The Ontario government is committing $15 million annually to the new Connecting Links program, which will help municipalities pay for construction and repairs for connecting links. Funding will be available beginning in Spring 2016.
The province will consult with key municipalities to ensure the revamped program meets their unique needs. It will be designed to complement the $100 million Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund, which recently provided $2 million in funding to expand Second Line road and last year provided over $3.1 million in funding for the replacement of four aging single-lane bridges.
Together, these programs will continue to drive asset management planning and evidence-based infrastructure prioritization at the local level.
“The government is creating jobs and increasing connectivity across our province,” said Steven Del Duca, Minister of Transportation. “These highways are essential links in many communities, they carry our loved ones, and they carry our economy. This is further proof of our government’s commitment to making travel and quality of life better for Ontario families.”
“The City of Sault Ste. Marie is pleased that a new and revitalized connecting link program is being established,” said Christian Provenzano, Mayor of Sault Ste. Marie. “We have the single largest connecting link in the province. The funds provided through the program will allow us to make further improvements and will help ensure the efficient movement of highway traffic through our city. We appreciate the Province’s ongoing support.”
Strengthening highways across the province is part of the government’s economic plan for Ontario. The four-part plan is building Ontario up by investing in people’s talents and skills, building public infrastructure like roads and transit, creating a dynamic, supportive environment where business thrives, and building a secure savings plan so everyone can afford to retire.
Since 2003, the province has invested in numerous municipal streets and bridges some of which include:
McNabb Street
South Market Reconstruction
Shannon Road
Third Line East Extension
Turn lane at Second line - Great Northern Road
Great Northern Road
Trunk Road
Wellington Street East
Wellington Street West
Cathcart Street
Huron Street
Bay Street
Lyons Avenue
Korah Road
Second Line West
Queen Street East
Church Street
Carmen’s Way
North and South Root River Bridges
Other Provincial government initiatives supporting transportation infrastructure in Sault Ste. Marie since 2003 include:
· $24 million Connecting Links funding
· $11 million new provincial gas tax program
· $5.6 million Carmen’s Way
· $3.5 million Third Line extension
· $3.1 million Rehabilitation of Single Lane Bridges
· $3.1 million Hub Trail and Waterfront Walkway
· $3.0 million Municipal Infrastructure Investment Initiative (MIII) 2008
· $2.7 million Canada Ontario Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund (COMRIF)
· $2.4 million Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund (OCIF)
· $2 million Small Rural and Northern Municipal Infrastructure Fund –Second Line Corridor
As part of the largest infrastructure investment in Ontario's history, the province is committing $15 million annually to a new Connecting Links program, which will help municipalities pay the construction and repair costs for connecting links - municipal roads that connect communities to provincial highways and border crossings.
There are about 350 kilometres of roads and 70 bridges along connecting links in 77 municipalities across Ontario, and the province will consult with key municipalities to ensure the new program meets their unique needs.
The program will be designed to complement the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund, which provides small, rural and northern communities with funding to build and repair critical infrastructure.
On April 16, 2015, Ontario moved ahead with its plan to unlock the value of certain public assets. This will provide the province with approximately $4 billion to build new transit and other priority infrastructure projects through Moving Ontario Forward.
Investing more than $130 billion over 10 years in public infrastructure - the largest infrastructure investment in the province's history - is part of the government's plan for Ontario.
The four-part plan is building Ontario up by investing in people's talents and skills, building new public infrastructure like roads and transit, creating a dynamic, innovative environment where business thrives, and building a secure retirement savings plan.
QUICK FACTS
- The government’s Moving Ontario Forward plan will make $31.5 billion available over the next 10 years for investments in priority infrastructure projects across the province and is expected to support over 20,000 jobs per year, on average, in construction and related industries.
- Under Moving Ontario Forward, around $16 billion is being allocated to transit and transportation projects in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA), and about $15 billion available for investment in roads, bridges, transit and other critical infrastructure in the rest of the province.
- Funding for the new Connecting Link program is expected to begin in Spring 2016.
Province severs connecting link funding
(PHOTO: MPP David Orazietti speaks Monday during a press conference announcing a new Connecting Links program as Michael Gravelle, Minister of Northern Development and Mines, Steven Del Duca, Minister of Transportation and Mayor Christian Provenzano look on. Kenneth Armstrong/SooToday)