Since last Wednesday, many have inquired about who they should send their letters to complaining about Westport’s unsuccessful OCIF 3 grant application – money needed to help pay for the new waste water treatment plant.

My suggestion is to send your letters right to the Premier.  She is on Facebook, Twitter and I am attaching the link for you to send her an email.   https://correspondence.premier.gov.on.ca/en/feedback/default.aspx

If you are not sure what to say, you could consider including some of these points.

Kathleen Wynne, Premier 

Legislative Building 

Queen’s Park 

Toronto ON M7A 1A1

Westport is a Village in eastern Ontario with a population of 600 people.  It is the smallest municipality in Ontario with both water and waste water systems.   The waste water system is  wholly inadequate to service the needs of the community due to climate change and aging infrastructure.  Without being able to process effluent, thousands of litres has been hauled to a neighbouring community by truck over the past couple of years to a total cost of $800,000.  The situation poses an environmental and public safety threat to the Village and surrounding community.

The Village needs the help of the provincial government to complete a project of this magnitude.  To think that the Village’s small tax base can complete it on its own is unreasonable. Westport was turned down for an OCIF 2 grant and now for OCIF 3 as well.  It is difficult to understand how this critical work to bring the Village into compliance with the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change is not a priority with your government.  

  Premier, what are you and your government going to do to help the Village of Westport?