The federal and provincial governments have announced more than $37 million in community infrastructure grants across the province, with most of the money being spent in Northern Ontario. The funding will go to several projects in 35 cities, towns and First Nations communities.
The funding was announced in Thunder Bay this week by several dignitaries including federal health minister Patty Hajdu, Ontario infrastructure minister Ross Romano and Robinson Meshake, board of directors president for Matawa First Nations Management.
The spending will include a federal investment of $65,880 in the wastewater planning study and detailed design, and flow meter purchase project in Kiashke Zaaging Anishinaabek through the Clean Water and Wastewater Fund. In addition, the feds are investing $1.4 million in the Ka-Na-Chi-Hih Treatment Centre Sioux Lookout Program expansion in Sioux Lookout and building upgrades for the N'Swakamok Native Friendship Centre in Sudbury.
The Government of Canada is also investing more than $28.7 million in the remaining 32 projects through the COVID-19 Resilience Stream of the Investing in Canada Program.
The Government of Ontario is providing over $7.5 million to these projects, while the Ka-Na-Chi-Hih Treatment Centre is investing $121,061, and the N'Swakamok Native Friendship Centre is investing $9,776 in their respective projects, said an Ontario news release.
Additional investments in other community infrastructure projects across Ontario include the installation of portable classrooms in a number of Indigenous communities including Eabametoong First Nation, Aroland First Nation, Fort Severn First Nation, Webequie First Nation, Marten Falls First Nation, Long Lake First Nation, Neskantaga First Nation, and Nibinamik First Nation.
Other projects include upgrades to Alternative Secondary Schools in Ottawa, Hamilton, Red Lake, Sudbury, Sault Ste. Marie, Timmins, Fort Frances, Kenora, and Fort Erie.
Also, a Clean Water and Wastewater Fund project in Kiashke Zaaging Anishinaabek will upgrade the community’s sewage lagoon which will improve the environment and receiving-water source.
More complete details of the spending were reported in the Ontario government news release.
