WELLINGTON COUNTY – Local municipalities will receive a combined $231,300 less through a key provincial funding program next year.
However, the hit is not as hard as in 2020, when Wellington County municipalities absorbed a collective cut of $350,000 to grants received through the Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund (OMPF).
Most local lower tier municipalities are slated to receive 2021 amounts similar to their 2020 allocations and three will receive increases.
In total, the county and its member municipalities will receive $6,482,200 in 2021 compared to $6,713,500 in 2020 and $7,065,800 in 2019.
The county itself took the largest cut. Wellington County will receive $1,089,700 in 2020, down $192,200 from its 2020 allocation.
Among lower tier municipalities:
- Centre Wellington is slated to receive $231,000, down $40,700 from 2020;
- Erin will receive $592,600, an increase of $1,500 over this year’s grant;
- Guelph-Eramosa is to receive $488,800, down $5,400 from this year;
- Mapleton’s 2021 allocation is $862,600, up $29,300 from $832,700 this year;
- Minto faces a cut of $20,600, with the 2021 allocation at $1,520,200 (compared to $1,540,800 in 2020);
- Puslinch will receive $417,400 in 2021, up $1,700 from $2020; and
- Wellington North will receive $1,277,500 a reduction of $6,200 from the current year’s allocation.
Province-wide in 2021, the government will provide $500 million to 389 municipalities through OMPF, the province’s main general assistance grant to municipalities.
The program primarily supports northern and rural communities.
The unconditional grants can be used for local priorities, unlike application-based funding programs.
“Small and rural municipalities face unique financial challenges,” said Perth-Wellington MPP Randy Pettapiece in a Nov. 3 press release.
“They need and deserve the province’s support and I’ve made that case many times over the years and I’m very pleased that our government has heard us.”
