Town of East Gwillimbury Residents Benefit from Local Culvert Improvements

For immediate release — April 25, 2005

Governments partner to make infrastructure investment

SHARON — The Government of Canada, the Government of Ontario and the Town of East Gwillimbury today announced funding to replace a local culvert.

The governments of Canada and Ontario will each invest up to $106,667 in the project. The Town of East Gwillimbury will contribute the balance of the total eligible project cost of up to $320,000. The Government of Canada's contribution is contingent on the successful completion of an environmental assessment of the proposed project under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act.

This investment, made under the Canada-Ontario Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund (COMRIF), will provide safer road infrastructure and improved quality of life for local residents. The Town of East Gwillimbury will replace the Morning Sideroad culvert with a new steel culvert, as well as replace bridge and culvert guiderails at seven various locations.

"Strategic investments in local infrastructure are one of the hallmarks of the New Deal for Cities and Communities," said Andy Mitchell, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. "The federal government's funding to replace the culvert on Morning Sideroad will facilitate the efficient movement of goods and services in East Gwillimbury." The Government of Canada's funding for this initiative was provided for in the February 2005 federal budget and is therefore built into the existing fiscal framework, added Mr. Mitchell.

"Safe, reliable infrastructure is essential to the quality of life in every community," said John Gerretsen, Ontario Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. "With projects like this one in the Town of East Gwillimbury, we are helping rural communities meet their highest priority infrastructure needs."

"We are very pleased to receive this investment from the federal and provincial governments for a project that will benefit both the travelling public and our community," said James R. Young, Mayor of the Town of East Gwillimbury.

Under COMRIF, the governments of Canada and Ontario are working together with the Association of Municipalities of Ontario and local partners to improve public infrastructure in small urban and rural communities. The objectives of this initiative are to enhance and renew Ontario's aging public infrastructure, improve the quality of the environment, protect the health and safety of citizens, support long-term economic growth and build strong, sustainable communities by giving municipalities the tools they need.

COMRIF is a five-year, $900-million program that focuses on local needs through infrastructure improvements to provide clean, safe drinking water, better sewage systems, improved waste management processes, safer local roads and bridges as well as other health and safety priorities. Green infrastructure is COMRIF's top priority with 55 per cent of funding for projects involving water quality, sustainable communities, climate change, and innovation.

COMRIF Intake Two will be launched in the coming weeks through a public announcement and direct contact with eligible municipalities. All Ontario municipalities of less than 250,000 people are eligible to apply to COMRIF to improve their local infrastructure.

For further information on the Canada-Ontario Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund, please visit www.comrif.ca.

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Contacts:

James R. Young
Mayor of the Town of East Gwillimbury
905-478-4282

Andrea Kelly
Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing
416-585-7066

Sam Boonstra
Industry Canada
416-952-0468

Project Reference Number: 11626