Province gives Uxbridge almost $1 million

Roger Varley, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Members of Uxbridge council gathered on Cemetery Road last Friday to hear Pickering-Uxbridge MPP Peter Bethlenfalvy announce almost $1 million in provincial funding for the township. The funding comes in two parts: first is almost $912,000 from the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund (OCIF) and second is just over $28,000 from the Rural Economic Development (RED) program.

With a group of construction workers as a backdrop, Bethlenfalvy, who also is provincial finance minister, said the OCIF money will be used for "critical infrastructure upgrades" in the township. He said projects such as the Brock Street culvert upgrade are important in the face of extreme weather. The $28,000 from RED will be used to promote lower Brock Street as part of the township's downtown revitalization project.

Mayor Dave Barton said the infrastructure funding is welcome because more than 60 per cent of the $16 million Uxbridge takes in each year in tax revenue is spent on public works. As for the RED funding, he said that will be used to get lower Brock Street "investment ready."

When asked why the announcement was made at the south end of Cemetery Road, where construction is under way on a new development, Barton said the scene illustrated the work being done in the community. He said such projects "means more hours for local construction workers like these."

OCIF funding is allocated to the township every year and has increased over the last few years to the current $912,000.