The municipalities of Hastings County are coming together to urge the provincial government to provide more funding for infrastructure in rural communities.
Tweed Mayor Don DeGenova, who is no stranger to expressing his frustration with the province’s refusal to fund projects that his community cannot afford, voiced his displeasure once again at county council on Tuesday.
He noted that all 14 of Hastings County’s municipalities have been repeatedly denied funding for provincial programs and that, in a meeting with Infrastructure Minister Kinga Surma at the ROMA Conference earlier this month, he was told the province will not provide money for rural bridges or roads.
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“And I’ll tell you right now, if things don’t happen, small rural Ontario is going to begin to collapse. And when it does, they’re going to have to take it on. Work with us and help us solve our problems or else we’re out of the game.”
DeGenova said he was surprised to hear Prince Edward County received funding for County Road 49 improvements.
He suggested that if Hastings County wants more government funding, Hastings Lennox and Addington will likely have to become a swing riding.
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“Because we’re never going to get a dime until that happens. And it’s not just the Conservative government. It’s any government, any government plays by that rule. Why does all the money come out just before an election announcement? And why are those dollars invested in those communities where there is a chance that somebody might lose it?”
Warden and Stirling Mayor Bob Mullin agreed, noting that their small administrative teams put a lot of effort into preparing applications to the province only to be rejected time and time again.
DeGenova put forth a motion directing staff to prepare a letter expressing Hastings County’s displeasure at the lack of financial assistance that its member municipalities are receiving and that the province look at what is happening across rural and northern Ontario and provide assistance to much-needed projects and issues facing those communities.
The motion was passed.