North Hastings receives funding for infrastructure

September 29, 2016

Ontario is allocating close to $350,000 to building in Bancroft.

The provincial government is designating $342,258 to Bancroft through the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund. That’s just one piece of over $13.5 million going to 16 Hastings Prince Edward municipalities by 2019. Hastings Highlands will also receive $302,555 and Carlow—Mayo, Tudor and Cashel, Limerick, Faraday and Wollaston townships have been granted $175,000 each.

“We need to determine the inflow in our wastewater system and how to mitigate it. This is our first priority,” said Town of Bancroft Mayor Bernice Jenkins when asked what the money will go towards. “We have many needs in roads. We need a more sustainable works yard. We have buildings that need upgrading. We need an accessible library. I could go on and on.”

The funding was determined based on factors such as core infrastructure, median income and property assessment. This is why the amounts vary so widely. Also, some townships, like Bancroft, will be ineligible for future funding through the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund. Many of the townships which received less funding will be eligible.

“In the five years I’ve been an MPP, the biggest issue from municipalities in my riding has been the lack of predictable infrastructure funding from the upper levels of government,” said Prince Edward Hastings MPP Todd Smith. “Obviously we have a number of infrastructure needs in the area including Hwy 49 which was just named the worst road in Ontario by CAA. But Hwy 62 north of Maynooth and the Stirling-Marmora Road remain major local concerns and I’ve already submitted questions to the minister this fall about those projects specifically.”

The Bancroft This Week has reached out to Hastings Highlands Mayor Vivian Bloom, Faraday Reeve Carl Tinney, and Limerick Reeve Sharon Carson to see what the funds will be put towards in his or her relative communities.