The Ontario is once again committing millions of dollars to municipalities across the province in 2024 to help support critical infrastructure projects, and the Kenora-Rainy River District will be seeing plenty of it.
In a press release from the government and Kenora-Rainy River MPP Greg Rickford on December 8, 2023, the province revealed it is providing $400-million in funding as part of the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund (OCIF) to 425 small, rural and northern communities across Ontario in the new calendar year. Of that $400-million, the release announced over $6.4-million to be distributed across fifteen municipalities within the region, with $1.3-million earmarked for Fort Frances, $152,951 for Emo and $243,198 for Rainy River.
“Our government is proud to support growth and prosperity in Northwestern communities by providing targeted investments to our municipal partners when and where they need it,” Rickford said in the release.
“With over $6.4 million through the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund (OCIF), we’re advancing economic development and job creation, while addressing critical infrastructure needs in municipalities across Kenora-Rainy River.”
To be eligible for funding under the OCIF, municipalities must be either small, which is counted as a population of less than 100,000, a northern municipality, or a rural municipality. The Ministry of Infrastructure updates program eligibility to reflect latest Census of Population date, which is currently the 2021 figures.
According to the province’s release, municipalities may use OCIF funding to pay for road, bridge, water and wastewater projects, and if necessary may also accumulate funding for up to five years to address larger infrastructure projects.
“Small, rural and northern communities need stable funding for their unique infrastructure needs and to provide safe and reliable services,” said Kinga Surma, Ontario’s Minister of Infrastructure.
“That’s why our government continues to provide funding, especially during these challenging economic times. Our investments in community infrastructure are helping to create jobs, build stronger local economies, and lay the foundation for a stronger, more resilient Ontario for generations to come.”
The complete rundown of funding within the Kenora-Rainy River region is as follows:
| Alberton | $100,000 |
| Chapple | $116,970 |
| Dawson | $100,000 |
| Dryden | $1,163,545 |
| Emo | $152,951 |
| Fort Frances | $1,310,986 |
| Ignace | $246,596 |
| Kenora | $2,364,241 |
| La Vallee | $100,000 |
| Lake of The Woods | $100,000 |
| Machin | $124,388 |
| Morley | $100,000 |
| Rainy River | $243,198 |
| Sioux Narrows-Nestor Falls | $100,000 |
| Redditt Local Services Board | $100,000 |
