WELLINGTON COUNTY – The county will receive $6.6 million in federal and provincial taxpayer dollars to fund local infrastructure projects.
This year the county will receive $2.88 million from the Canada Community-Building Fund, previously known as the Federal Gas Tax Fund.
In 2021, the county received $5.65 million.
Since the fund’s inception 17 years ago, the county has received $44.24 million and spent all but $6.78 million on numerous infrastructure projects.
Most of the taxpayer dollars (95 per cent) have been spent on road work, bridges and culverts over the years.
The remaining balance sits in reserves to be used for future projects.
A recent report from county treasurer Ken DeHart states an “additional $30.7 million investment in roads, bridges, and culverts is forecast over the next nine years.”
Chipping away at that amount will be this year’s $2.88 million federal allotment, according to deputy treasurer Susan Aram.
Record-high provincial funding
From the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund, the county has received $8.51 million in taxpayer dollars, helping to pay for 17 local infrastructure projects since 2015.
All but $50,502 has been spent, with the balance sitting in reserves.
This year, the county will receive $3.75 million from the OCIF – the highest amount allotted to the county since the fund’s inception seven years ago.
In the previous two years, from 2020-21, the province allotted the county a total of $3.72 million, used to pay for six roads, bridges and culvert projects.
In another report, DeHart states it’s unknown whether higher funding levels can be expected again, “given that there will be changes to how OCIF [dollars are] allocated in the future.”
