Tag Archives: OCIF

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Letter from Ontario Government advising that Westport turned down for OCIF waste water treatment grant

Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs

4th Floor

1 Stone Road West Guelph, Ontario N1G 4Y2 Tel:   1-877-424-1300

Fax:   519 826-3398

Ministère de l’Agriculture, de l’Alimentation et

des Affaires rurales

4e étage

1 Stone Road West Guelph (Ontario) N1G 4Y2 Tél. : 1-877-424-1300

Téléc. :   519  826-3398

Rural Programs Branch

February 21, 2017 Our File: OCIF AC3-3088

Scott Bryce, Clerk-Treasurer Village of Westport

PO Box 68, 30 Bedford Street Westport, Ontario K0G 1X0 sbryce@villageofwestport.ca

Dear Scott Bryce:

Re: Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund (OCIF) Top-Up Application Component – 2016 Intake

Thank you for your application under the 2016 OCIF Top-up Application Component.

Ontario is committed to helping small, rural and northern communities address critical infrastructure challenges. This commitment includes increasing the formula-based funding under OCIF to $200 million per year by 2019 and increasing future top-up application funding to annual intakes of approximately $100 million, starting this year.

Following a detailed review of the application and supporting materials you submitted, we are writing to inform you that the Westport Wastewater Treatment System – Effluent Disposal Upgrade project has not been selected for funding.

Applications were reviewed and assessed based on the criteria outlined in the program guidelines. The ministry received hundreds of applications, and unfortunately demand for the program exceeds the funding available at this time.

Staff are available to provide additional details on your project’s assessment. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact your Project Analyst, Stephen Hamblin, via email Stephen.Hamblin@ontario.ca or by calling (519) 826-3471 or 1-877-424-1300.

The 2017 OCIF Top-up Application Component intake will launch this spring. We invite you to submit a new application at this time.

Thank you for your interest in the OCIF Top-up Application Component. Sincerely,

Joel Locklin

Manager, Infrastructure Renewal Programs

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Disappointing News – Westport’s request for waste water replacement grant turned down.

To say that this decision is unfortunate, is an understatement.  Staff are following up with the contact person mentioned in the letter below for the reasons why our application was not supported by the Ontario Liberal government.

CAO Paul Snider is contacting the offices of Minister J Leal and Minister B Mauro, the two Ministries involved in the decision making, and is requesting meetings between Mayor Jones and the Ministers.

Yes, this is a set back, however we will continue to work to resolve the challenges of our current waste water treatment system and together we will come through 2017 with a dependable solution.

I thought it would be interesting to everyone to read the letter, so please see it below.

If you have any questions, pls call the councillor of your choice or me – 9195OCIF AC3-3088 Ltr.pdf

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Minister Duguid says he has “no pot of money” for Westport

Thank you to everyone who wrote to the Minister.  He and his staff discussed the Westport e-mails and letters – so your work was not in vain.
The meeting with Minister Duguid did not result in a commitment for any money as he said “there is no pot of money”.  This week the Premier announced that in 2017/18, the amount of money for infrastructure would be doubled and that there is another intake for OCIF funding in April – but again, this is for 2017.
The Minister  is aware that we will be using our existing OCIF grant money to cover the costs of hauling this year – an amount that could easily be $500,000.  He sympathized.
Minister Duguid and his staff encouraged us to be “shovel ready” for the Federal grants, which should be announced in April.  According to our schedule of events  including the tendering process, we should be.  The Minister did share with us that  the province doesn’t know what the scope of those grants will be.
The final discussion with them was my request to keep whatever is remaining from our 2015/16 OCIF grant beyond December 2016 and use it in 2017 with that year’s grant.  Normally , this is not approved by government – but as the Minister said, due to our “unique” situation, he and his staff will see what they can do.
The Minister was a real gentleman – and although we did not make any headway in $$$ – I felt that he listened to our situation.
I am still waiting to confirm dates/times for meetings with the Minister of the Environment and Climate Change and with the Minister of Municipal Affairs.
Thank you everyone for your support and comments.  We are not finished in our quest by a long shot!
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Re: UPDATE – Infrastructure (OCIF) Grant

We have an amazing MPP.  Steve Clarke has been working on our behalf since hearing this news on Monday.

Many people have asked me what they can do to help.  You can write or email the Minister ultimately responsible for infrastructure in the province of Ontario.

Minister Brad Duguid
Ministry of Economic Development, Employment and Infrastructure
8th Floor, Hearst Block
900 Bay Street
Toronto, Ontario M7A 2E1
Tel
416-325-6900
Fax
416-325-6918
bduguid.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org

Thanks everyone.  We will continue to explore all avenues.  Your comments and support over the past couple of days are very much appreciated.

 

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VILLAGE DENIED INFRASTRUCTURE GRANT

On Friday, February 5, the Village of Westport was notified that its application for the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund (OCIF) Application Based Component was denied.  This grant was an absolute necessity to complete the work at the waste water treatment plant and bring the municipality into compliance with the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change.

It is difficult to comprehend how the Village’s application would not be reviewed, assessed and ranked at or near the top of the applicant lists due to the significant potential risks to the environment posed by the aging Snowfluent system and the Village’s severely limited tax base.  

The Village is contacting Ministry staff for additional explanations and exploring all other possibilities for financing the refurbishment at the waste water treatment plant.  This issue is on the Committee of the Whole Meeting Agenda, being held on Tuesday, February 16 at 7:00 p.m.  

If you have any questions, please contact the Councillor of your choice or me at 613-273-9195.