Province announces funding from two projects for Uxbridge

DAN CEARNS The Standard

UXBRIDGE: At a press conference on Cemetery Road in Uxbridge on Friday, October 18th, MPP Peter Bethlenfalvy made two funding announcements for the Township of Uxbridge.

The first announcement was this year’s allocation of the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund (OCIF) for the municipality. This year, Uxbridge’s allocation has increased to $911,791.

“The OCIF provides funding for local infrastructure projects in municipalities with populations under 100,000, rural and northern municipalities, as well as for Local Services Boards that own water or wastewater systems. Funding allocations are based on a formula that accounts for the different needs and economic conditions of each community,” an Ontario government press release explained.

MPP Bethlenfalvy explained the importance of continued infrastructure investments.

“This will go a long way to making sure the projects and the infrastructure keep us safe and able to support a growing community, particularly in the face of extreme weather.”

Mayor Dave Barton explained the Township was receiving $411,000 in 2021 and the funding has grown since then.

“We have residents [who] care so much about how we get around from place to place, and the safety of our pedestrians. All of that [infrastructure work] costs money, and we couldn’t do that work without the partnerships we share with Minister Bethlenfalvy. It’s just phenomenal,” Mayor Barton said.

The local Mayor also promised that these funds will be “well spent.”

The second announcement was a grant from the province’s Rural Economic Development (RED) Program. MPP Bethlenfalvy announced the Township will be receiving $28,438 from the program to “continue the revitalization of the Downtown area.”

The press release explained this program “provides cost-share funding which supports activities that create strong rural communities and opens doors to rural economic development.”

Mayor Barton said he feels the Township’s plan for the downtown area “looks amazing,” and the Township is trying to “get shovels in the ground as quickly as we can to get that built up.”