Province adds $10M to Connecting Links program
The province has topped up its Connecting Links program by $10 million.
The announcement, which was made on June 30, brings the total annual investment for the program to $40 million. The funding is part of the province’s action plan for responding to COVID-19, and will support road and highway projects in nine additional municipalities across the province.
"Our roads and bridges are vital links that connect people to jobs and make it easier for people to get where they need to go," said Transportation Minister Caroline Mulroney. "The additional funding for the Connecting Links program will help even more municipalities keep our roadways safe while driving economic growth and job creation in their communities."
The Connecting Links program helps municipalities build, repair or replace roads and bridges that connect two ends of a provincial highway through a community or to a border crossing. Thirty-three projects are now receiving funding under this year’s program.
Those municipalities sharing in the additional funding include:
- Bancroft, for the rehabilitation of Hastings Street North,
- Chatham-Kent, for the rehabilitation of Grand Avenue East,
- Fort Frances, for the reconstruction of King's Highway,
- Halton Hills, for the reconstruction of Young Street and Queen Street,
- North Bay, for the reconstruction of Trout Lake Road,
- Pembroke, for the replacement of traffic control signals and pedestrian crossing devices along MacKay Street and Pembroke Street East,
- Saugeen Shores, for intersection improvements at Goderich Street and Ivings Drive,
- Tillsonburg for the rehabilitation of Vienna Road, and
- Windsor, for the reconstruction of Huron Church Road.
“Ontario's Action Plan: Responding to COVID-19 provided $17 billion in relief, including additional resources for the health care system and direct support for people and jobs," said Finance Minister Rod Phillips. "We are following through on our commitment to build a better transportation system and invest in roads and bridges to support the economy and jobs during this difficult time.”
The Connecting Links program is delivered through the Ministry of Transportation. Program funding covers up to 90 percent of eligible project costs, to a maximum of $3 million, for the design, construction, renewal, rehabilitation and replacement of connecting links.
Applications for the 2021–22 Connecting Links Program will be open later this year.