Tag Archives: Leal

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We asked Minister Leal for a meeting, instead we got a form letter…..

When we learned that Westport had been turned down for OCIF3, CAO Paul Snyder wrote to the 4 Ministers involved with municipal and infrastructure mandates and asked for meetings.  To date, Minister Mauro has indicated that his schedule is too busy and here is the letter from Minister Leal, Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.  This is the Ministry that makes the decisions on how the OCIF3 grants are awarded  It is difficult to understand the blatant refusal of an elected official to meet and instead offer a form letter that simply states, in the politically correct way, no grant for Westport.

I also followed up with the Premier’s office on Friday in the attempt to book a meeting with her.  I have learned from a very competent Scheduling Assistant in the Premier’s office that my request will be considered on Monday.  I will keep you informed on her decision.

Many thanks to our MPP Steve Clarke, who continues to work on our behalf with the individual Ministers.  

 

 

MAR 1 6 2017

Minlstere de I’Agriculture, de l’Alimentatlon et des Affaires rurales

Bureau du ministre

77, rue Grenville, 11° etage Toronto (Ontario) M7A 183 Tel. : 416 326-3074

Telec. :416 326-3083

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Ontario

Mr. Paul Snider CAO/Clerk

Village of Westport psnider@villageofwestport.ca

Dear Mr. Snider:

Thank you for your letter regarding your submission to the 2016 Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund (OCIF) Top-Up Application Component. Iam pleased to respond.

Investing in key infrastructure is part of our government’s pl n to help create jobs, grow our economy and connect communities.

I appreciate the importance of this project to your community. This year’s intake was very competitive. The total funding requested exceeded the funding that was .available and, as a result, not all applications could be funded.

We heard from small, rural and northern communities about the importance of stable and predictable investments in local infrastructure. That is why our government is tripling its investments through OCIF – ramping·up from $100 million in 2016 to $300 million a year by 2019. Over the next three years·OCIF will invest over $670 million to help. municipalities across Ontario improve local infrastructure.

I understand that, to date, the village has received $50,000 in OCIF formula-based funding ·to use toward critical infrastructure projects. I understand that your municipality will receive an additional $150,000 in formula-based funding between 2017 and 2019. This funding can be used toward this project or other eligible projects tht have been identified as a priority in your municipality’s asset management plan.

The 2017 intake of the OCIF Top-Up Application Component will launch this spring, which will provide your municipality with another opportunity to apply for infrastructure funding.

Approximately $100 million will be available for the 2017 intake, which is almost double the size of the previous intake, providing significantly more support for critical infrastructure projects across Ontario.

I would encourage you to contact your Project Analyst, Stephen Hamblin.  He can answer any additional questions you may have about the assessment process and offer some advice that may be helpful for future submissions.

Our government is building Ontario up with a clear, predictable and long-term commitment to improve infrastructure that will help support communities.

 Again, thank you for writing. Sincerely,

Jeff Leal

Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs

Minister  Responsible  for  Small Business

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Article in Kingston Whig – Westport snubbed once again (OCIF grant)

I have attached the link to today’s page 3 article in the Kingston Whig.  You will be aware of much of the information already.  I note that while we are still waiting for Minister Leal’s office (Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs) to return our call in our quest for a meeting, a “spokesperson” from his office took the time and answered questions from the media in an email last night.

Specifically, the article states:

In an email Wednesday evening, a spokesperson for Leal said specific details about the village’s application are confidential.

 “This year’s OCIF application-based intake was highly competitive. We recognize that there may be some disappointment in communities who were unsuccessful in their applications. The decisions to proceed with the successful applications were based on a robust, evidence-based process that relied on experts across government to assess the merits of each project,” the email continues.
 
The ministry spokesperson added Westport’s separate, formula-based OSIF allocations amount to $50,000 a year for 2017, 2018 and 2019.
To clarify for the spokesperson … We are not disappointed – we are shocked and feel abandoned.  Our application was just that … evidence-based and supported with documentation by experts…
CAO Snider and I continue to push Queens Park and challenge the Ministers to hear our appeal.  They have been invited to Westport in the past, and I restate that invitation.  Perhaps being up close and personal to our lagoons will help them understand that our small rural municipality is not looking for a hand out, but the financial assistance that the provincial government has the ability and mandate to provide.
Here is the complete article