King
March 19, 2008 11:06 AM
By: Sandra Bolan
Bradford West Gwillimbury and King Township are anxiously awaiting the announcement of which projects will receive grant money from Ontario's Municipal Infrastructure Investment Initiative, as these funds are crucial to begin reconstructing the Holland Marsh canal.
The two municipalities jointly applied for $10.2 million earlier this year to fund the municipal and land owners’ portions of the project. The total cost of the project is estimated at $16.7 million.
Bradford West Gwillimbury and King Township jointly applied for the grant because they are the two municipalities on the Holland Marsh drainage system joint municipal services board, which was created to oversea the canal, but the board itself was not eligible to apply.
“Ours is an unusual amount,” John McCallum, Bradford West Gwillimbury Ward 3 councillor and chair of the joint municipal services board, said.
In all, more than 450 applications, valued at more than $1 billion, were made to the Municipal Infrastructure Investment Initiative. There is $750 million available.
“A lot of people won’t get any,” Mr. McCallum said, adding he expects to hear who receives funding shortly before the March 31 announcement deadline.
Of the $10.2 million requested, 40.8 per cent, or $3,575,000, would come to Bradford West Gwillimbury and 59.2 per cent, or $6,625,000 would go to King Township because of how the canal system is split.
The amount is also divided among three areas — municipal land and roads, eligible miscellaneous costs and private lands.
The private lands portion, for land owned by farmers, is valued at $5,250,000 (Bradford West Gwillimbury — $2,050,000, King — $3,200,000), which breaks down to approximately $520 an acre.
The main reason for applying to the program, according to Mr. McCallum, was “so the farmers wouldn’t have to bear the brunt...To put that burden on their farms, for a few years, would be very difficult.”
What will happen to the canal restructuring plans if the grant is denied?
“We’re construction-ready. So we will apply for more grants, but you’ll never get 100 per cent back like this one,” Mr. McCallum said.
The Municipal Infrastructure Investment Initiative is a government of Ontario program designed to help communities update and improve public infrastructure.