KENORA, ONTARIO – Greg Rickford, MP for Kenora, and Michael Gravelle, MPP for Thunder Bay-Superior North, have announced stimulus funding that will benefit the local economy in Kenora and improve local infrastructure for years to come.
The announcement of an investment of $6.1 Million in joint federal and provincial funding will refurbish Highway 17 east and west. This funding is in addition to funding announced last June. The City of Kenora previously received funding for their Highway 17 Gateway Rehabilitation. The West portion of this was completed last fall and the East portion will begin soon.
“It’s great to see the federal and provincial governments work together to expand the Highway 17 road rehabilitation, the cooperation is again, resulting in funding that will benefit Kenora,” said Rickford. “Improving the highways that border our city is great for residents and also local tourism and economic development.”
“I am very pleased that both the federal and provincial government are investing in local infrastructure. These important highway improvements will help economic growth throughout Northwestern Ontario.” MPP Michael Gravelle, Thunder Bay-Superior North
This new funding will rehabilitate roads from the City of Kenora limits both east to and west. A total of 8.1 kms of roadway will be included in resurfacing, drainage, ditching, new culverts and a snow plough turnaround. From the City of Kenora west limits the rehabilitation will go westerly for 3.8 kms and from the east limits easterly for 4.3 kms, both will meet the bypass on either end of the City. The Ministry of Transportation plans to tender this project later this spring with completion targeted for the fall.
Total eligible project costs are estimated at $6.1 Million. The governments of Canada and Ontario are each providing just over $3 Million. This announcement is part of a package of 43 highway, bridge and local road projects announced earlier this month by Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty.
The Government of Canada’s contribution for this project is being provided through the $4-billion Infrastructure Stimulus Fund, a key component of Canada’s Economic Action Plan, which invests in infrastructure projects that must be completed by March 31, 2011.
The contribution from the Government of Ontario is being provided from the two-year, $32.5 billion infrastructure commitment laid out in the 2009 Ontario Budget – Confronting the Challenge: Building Our Economic Future.
To date, the governments of Canada and Ontario have announced over $11 billion in joint funding for more than 2,600 infrastructure projects across the province to stimulate the economy and create jobs.