Money good, but independence better, Gravelle says

Although he welcomed the $800,000 in FedNor funding to riding projects announced in Sudbury on Dec. 12 by Finance Minister Tony Clement, Nickel Belt MP Claude Gravelle said changes to the program are needed to ensure its continued relevance.

Namely, Gravelle said the regional development agency needs multi-year funding and full independence to even better serve the northern economy.

“These are good investments by our government, but I agree with the northern mayors that multi-year funding for our communities better serves larger infrastructure projects,” Gravelle said. “In several consultations with the NDP, stakeholders have told us that funding for more than one year and resources to help resource-strapped smaller municipalities with the application process are important to them too.”

Gravelle also said a stand-alone FedNor as called for in his private members’ bill will go a long way to help the northern economy.

“Mr. Clement keeps citing needless bureaucracy in rejecting the idea without at all explaining why we are the only region without an independent agency and with a much smaller budget.”

The Greater Sudbury airport is receiving $750,000 to support infrastructure projects to extend an access road and provide municipal services. Two youth initiative interns of $27,500 were awarded to the Municipality of St. Charles and Mattagami First Nation.

Posted by Heidi Ulrichsen