The Sault Star link: City urges province to open up recreation infrastructure funding stream
City council is urging the provincial government to open the Community Cultural and Recreation infrastructure funding stream so that municipalities can apply and upgrade its crumbling buildings.
The motion, moved by Ward 5 Coun. Corey Gardi and Ward 3 Coun. Matthew Shoemaker, is in response to the federal government’s visit from Parliamentary Secretary Marco Mendicino, assistant to federal minister of infrastructure Francois-Philippe Champagne.
Mendicino said the federal government has $407 million set aside for infrastructure projects, but the money remains in the bank until the provincial government opens up its application process.
“It’s important we urge our provincial counterparts to open up the application process so we can get our priority to them and approved and then to cabinet,” he said.
…
“Ontario has its fair share … but the money is not being used because the streams are not being opened,” Mendicino told Mayor Christian Provenzano and a contingent of city representatives on a recent tour at the aging McMeeken Centre. Gardi and Shoemaker participated in the tour.