Infrastructure, housing top issues for Chatham-Kent delegation at ROMA

Infrastructure and housing remain the top issues for Chatham-Kent’s delegation at an annual provincial conference this week.

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The Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA) conference, taking place in Toronto, is themed Closer to Home, with approximately 1,000 delegates from across the province meeting with ministers and other government representatives.

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Chatham Coun. Michael Bondy, who is in attendance with several municipal staff, said many communities are in the same position with respect to their challenges.

“It’s every community’s priority how to properly spend infrastructure money,” he said. “Especially us, because we’ve got such an elaborate system, such a big area.”

Bondy called the conference a learning experience on the latest technologies, adding he’s looking forward to taking part in workshops and meetings.

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The province announced the latest steps in its plan to invest in rural communities, with a focus on building more homes and housing-enabling infrastructure.

Premier Doug Ford, who spoke during the conference, announced new details regarding the expansion of Ontario’s $1.2 billion Building Faster Fund to small, rural and northern municipalities that have not been assigned housing targets by the province.

“We’re working shoulder-to-shoulder with our municipal partners to attract new investments and jobs, provide better services closer to home and build the homes and infrastructure rural communities need to grow and prosper,” he said.

Bondy said Ford mentioned Chatham-Kent a number of times for its innovation.

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Population growth and the economy are continuing to fuel the need for additional housing throughout Ontario, he said.

As for roads, Bondy said the first noted there are funds available for Highway 3.

“He did sort of reference Essex County, but we know that we’re connected,” he said. “That will definitely need provincial funding. There’s no way we can do that.

“That would probably be one of the biggest infrastructure needs that we would be looking to the province for. …That would be more of a targeted project.”

The province will also be providing $200 million during three years to help municipalities repair, rehabilitate and expand critical drinking water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure.

Municipalities will be able to apply for this funding starting Jan. 29 through the Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund.

“Programs such as this are proof that our government is making targeted investments to build critical infrastructure in communities which will unlock housing and support our growing population,” Kinga Surma, minister of infrastructure, said in a release.

“We will continue to build a stronger and more prosperous Ontario now and for generations to come.”

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