Guelph-Eramosa council endorsed an application for two funding opportunities on Oct. 17.
Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund
Director of public works Harry Niemi explained top-up funding under the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund (OCIF) is focused this year on projects addressing health and safety.
Council endorsed the application to replace a bridge on Township Road 3.
“As the primary criteria for the funding is health and safety, replacement of this structure is the strongest candidate based on the 2016 Bridge Inspection program,” Niemi explained in the report.
The township is eligible for funding up to 90% of the total costs of the project, which is estimated to cost between $350,000 and $450,000.
“It needs to be done, you can get this done by (20)18,” White said. “It’s not a nice-to-have, it’s a need-to-have.”
Councilor David Wolk said he’s “horrified by the cost.” He added there’s a second culvert on Township Road 3 “which probably has experienced the same degree of deterioration” and has to be fixed.
“I hope at the end you’re able to find that it can be done for less,” he concluded.
Clean Water and Wastewater Fund
Council approved Niemi’s request to apply for the Clean Water and Wastewater Fund to complete a watermain connection between north and south Rockwood, providing redundancy for aging infrastructure.
The project would also allow for better fire protection “as fire storage is provided in the standpipe located on Hampson, which is in south Rockwood so if there is ever a break … we don’t have fire protection for north Rockwood,” Niemi said.
The connection between Valley Road and Richardson was identified on the rate study approved by council in 2015 and was included in the five-year capital plan for the Rockwood water system.
Niemi explained the preliminary cost estimate for the project is $400,000. Under the Clean Water and Wastewater Fund Guelph-Eramosa is eligible for up to $225,000 in funding (with the federal government contributing 50% and the provincial government contributing 25% of the total project cost).
Rockwood water users would be responsible for any cost above the allocated amount.
“Even if we don’t get the grant this is still something that we’re going to look at doing in the future … it’s something that needs to be done,” councillor Corey Woods said.
Mayor Chris White said his understanding is that the federal government wants this money to be used so he doesn’t think it will be difficult to secure funding, as it is a non-competitive grant.
“They’re purposefully trying to get this out there as the federal stimulus to the economy,” White said.
“I mean the benefit is infrastructure gets built, but it’s not just to build infrastructure in itself, it’s to get people working. So I think you’ve got a good project here, there’s an excellent chance you’ll get that.”
Councillor Mark Bouwmeester was absent for the meeting.
