The federal and provincial governments announced funding for construction on several road and bridge projects throughout Eastern Ontario on June 19.

In total, the governments and their municipal and First Nation counterparts will spend more than $44 million on 10 projects in communities such as Asphodel-Norwood, Beausoleil First Nation, Collingwood, Hiawatha First Nation, Peterborough County, Adjala-Tosorontio, Faraday, Highlands East, Minden Hills, and the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte.

By budget, the largest of these projects is the rehabilitation of approximately 1.4 kilometres of the J.A. Gifford Causeway in Peterborough County. The project, which is valued at $9.8 million, includes repairs to the Chemong Bridge and 5.3 kilometres on Yankee Line (County Road 14). The improvements are designed to increase safety, and extend the life of the bridge and roadway. 

"The James A. Gifford Causeway is the county's busiest stretch of road and the Causeway Improvement Plan is the largest infrastructure project that Peterborough County has undertaken and the largest overall grant funded project in our history,” said county warden J. Murray Jones. “The Investing in Canada infrastructure plan will allow the county and township to move forward with the much-needed infrastructure and safety improvements."

Also funded are the :

• reconstruction of 600 metres of Concession Road 5, and the replacement of two bridges in Adjala-Tosorontio,
• reconstruction of a 9-kilometre section of Centre Line Road in Asphodel-Norwood,
• upgrading of 17 kilometres of roadways in Beausoleil First Nation,
• reconstruction of 1.2 kilometres of Mountain Road in Collingwood,
• replacement of the Old Hastings Road Bridge in Faraday,
• reconstruction of 2 kilometres of Paudash Street in Hiawatha First Nation,
• replacement of the South Wilberforce Bridge in Highlands East,
• replacement of the Sedgewick Bridge in Minden Hills, and
• reconstruction of a 5-kilometre section of York Road and Rehabilitation of the Mud Creek Bridge in Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte.

"These are shovel ready projects that will provide much needed job creation, and help our municipal partners recover from the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Infrastructure Minister Laurie Scott. “Investing in infrastructure is essential to the recovery of Central and Eastern Ontario's economy. These projects build new roads and bridges and drive local economic development in these communities."

Federal funding for the projects is valued at $22 million, and comes from the Rural and Northern Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada infrastructure plan. The Government of Ontario is contributing more than $10 million. Municipalities and First Nation communities are contributing the remainder of the project costs.