Ontario injecting $940,000 for infrastructure improvement, marketing in Uxbridge

Uxbridge Township welcomed more than $940,000 in provincial funding Friday, with the bulk of the money to help renew and rehabilitate critical infrastructure.

The Province is investing $911,791 in the township for infrastructure upgrades, to be delivered next year through the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund (OCIF), as well as another $28,438 for marketing activities from the Rural Economic Development program.

The infrastructure funding is part of the provincial government’s $190 billion capital plan to expand and build more homes, highways, hospitals, transit and high-speed internet across the province.

“Small, rural and northern communities are essential to the growth and prosperity of Ontario,” said Infrastructure Minister Kinga Surma. “By providing direct and stable funding to these communities, our government is helping create local jobs, drive economic growth and build stronger, more resilient communities for generations to come.”

Ontario will allocate $400 million in OCIF funding in 2025 to help 423 small, rural and northern communities build roads, bridges, water and wastewater infrastructure. Communities may accumulate funding for up to five years to address larger infrastructure projects.

The OCIF provides funding for local infrastructure projects in municipalities with populations under 100,000, rural and northern municipalities, as well as for local Services Boards that own water or wastewater systems. Funding allocations are based on a formula that accounts for the different needs and economic conditions of each community.

The Province increased its investment in the fund by $1 billion (over five years) in 2022.

Ontario Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy, who is also the local Pickering-Uxbridge MPP, said his government is “committed” to rebuilding Ontario’s economy “by investing in projects that build strong and resilient communities.”

“These investments will enhance local infrastructure, support economic growth, and position Uxbridge for future prosperity.”

Uxbridge Mayor Dave Barton thanked Bethlenfalvy for the funding and for the Province’s “continued investment” in the township.

“From critical infrastructure projects to downtown revitalization initiatives, the multitude of funding received from this government is what helps advance rural communities like ours,” he said. “The province’s support through the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund and the Rural Economic Development Program, play crucial roles in helping us meet our development goals.”

Ontario’s Rural economic development program provides cost-share funding to open doors to rural economic development. This funding addresses barriers to economic development and better positions rural communities to attract and retain talent, enhancing economic growth.

The money allocated to Uxbridge will be used to promote Lower Brock as part of downtown Uxbridge, to develop a community profile for prospective investors and to refresh the Brock Street Heritage Guidelines for the area.

The Ontario government is investing more than $5.7 million in up to 85 projects across the province through the latest intake of the program.

“Uxbridge can revitalize their picturesque downtown core, attract new investments, and stimulate further economic and regional development,” said Rural Affairs Minister Lisa Thompson, adding the success of small towns and rural communities “is essential to Ontario’s overall economic growth.”