Residents in Alberton, Dawson, Fort Frances and O'Connor to benefit from bridge replacement and roadway drainage improvements

ALBERTON, ON, Aug. 14, 2019 /CNW/ - Investing in public roadway infrastructure supports efficient transportation networks that help Canadians and their families get to work, school and essential services on time and back home safely at the end of a long day.

Today, Don Rusnak, Member of Parliament for Thunder Bay?Rainy River, on behalf of the Honourable Bernadette Jordan, Minister of Rural Economic Development, with Mike Ford, Reeve for The Corporation of the Township of Alberton announced funding for a bridge replacement and roadway improvements for four communities in Northwestern Ontario.

In the Township of Alberton, the project involves the replacement of the Kehl Bridge, along with resurfacing 2 kilometres of Kehl Road to join seamlessly with the bridge.

Three other municipalities will receive funding for roadway and drainage improvements. Funding will help to improve Colonization Road in the Township of Dawson, Colonization Road West in the Town of Fort Frances, and Sitch Road in the Township of O'Connor. These projects will improve drainage and erosion control to make the roadways safer and more efficient for all users.

The Government of Canada is investing more than $1.6 million in the four projects through the Rural and Northern Communities Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada infrastructure plan. The Province of Ontario is contributing over $1 million towards the four projects and municipalities are responsible for the remaining project costs.

Quotes

"Improving transportation infrastructure helps ensure that Canadians have more time to spend with their families every day. Once complete, these important roads projects in Alberton, Fort Frances, Dawson and O'Connor will result in safer and more efficient roadways for residents and visitors."

Don Rusnak, Member of Parliament for Thunder Bay?Rainy River, on behalf of the Honourable Bernadette Jordan, Minister of Rural Economic Development

"Kehl Bridge is an important piece of infrastructure for our community as well as the Rainy River District. It is located on the route designated to act as bypass should an emergency cause closure of the Highway 11/71 rail crossing.  This funding will help keep our community a safe and is greatly appreciated."

Mike Ford, Reeve for the Corporation of the Township of Alberton.

"The Town of Fort Frances is very pleased and would like to thank MP Rusnak and the Government of Canada for this funding announcement for the much needed revitalization of Colonization Road W. This stretch of municipal road has been repaired numerous times and has been unsafe for public use for a long time. This funding is greatly appreciated."

Mayor June Caul, Fort Frances

Quick facts

• Through the Investing in Canada infrastructure plan, the Government of Canada is investing more than $180 billion over 12 years in public transit projects, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, trade and transportation routes, and Canada's rural and northern communities.
• $2 billion of this funding is supporting infrastructure projects that meet the unique needs of rural and northern communities like facilities to support food security, local access roads and enhanced broadband connectivity.
• The federal share of investments for communities with fewer than 5,000 residents covers 60% of the total costs.
• More than $10.1 billion of this funding is supporting trade and transportation projects, including $5 billion available for investment through the Canada Infrastructure Bank.
• Federal investment under the new agreement with Ontario for the Investing in Canada infrastructure plan will total over $10.4 billion. Funding will be distributed between four streams: rural and northern communities; public transit; green; and community, culture and recreation.
• On June 27, 2019, the Government of Canada launched two new strategies: Canada's Connectivity Strategy, which commits to connect all Canadians to high-speed internet, and Canada's first Rural Economic Development Strategy, which will spur economic growth and create good, middle class jobs for rural Canadians across the country.
• The Rural Economic Development Strategy leverages ongoing federal investments and provides a vision for the future, identifying practical steps to take in the short term, and serving as a foundation to guide further work.
• Central to Canada's Connectivity Strategy are historic new investments that are mobilizing up to $6 billion toward universal connectivity. They include a top-up to the Connect to Innovate Program, a new Universal Broadband Fund, and investments from the Canada Infrastructure Bank.

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Backgrounder

Residents in Alberton, Dawson, Fort Frances and O'Connor to benefit from bridge replacement and roadway drainage improvements

Joint federal, provincial, and municipal funding will support roadway improvements and a bridge replacement in the Northwestern Ontario municipalities of Alberton, Dawson, Fort Frances and O'Connor.

The Government of Canada is investing more than $1.6 million in these projects through the Rural and Northern Communities Infrastructure Stream (RNIS) of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program. The Government of Ontario is contributing over $1 million. The municipalities are providing the remaining funds.

Project Information:

Associated links

Investing in Canada: Canada's Long-Term Infrastructure Plan:
http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/icp-publication-pic-eng.html

Investing in Canada Plan Project Map:
http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/map

Federal infrastructure investments in Ontario: https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/investments-2002-investissements/on-eng.html

Rural Opportunity, National Prosperity: An Economic Development Strategy for Rural Canada:
https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/rural/strat-eng.html

2019 Ontario Budget: Protecting What Matters Most:
http://budget.ontario.ca/2019/index.html

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SOURCE Infrastructure Canada