Ontario and the federal government are providing 13 small communities with over $10 million to build and repair critical infrastructure and help create jobs across the province through the Small Communities Fund.Patricia A. Hadju, Federal Minister of Status of Women and Michael Gravelle, Ontario Minister of Northern Development and Mines, were in Thunder Bay March 18 to announce the funding for infrastructure projects, including improving waste management and water treatment facilities, increasing access to broadband and adopting solar-powered energy solutions.

Ontario and the federal government are each providing over $5 million for the 13 projects, with the communities responsible for the remainder.

Ontario is making the largest investment in public infrastructure in the province’s history — about $160 billion over 12 years, which is supporting 110,000 jobs every year across the province, with projects such as roads, bridges, transit systems, schools and hospitals. In 2015, the province announced support for more than 325 projects that will keep people and goods moving, connect communities and improve quality of life.

Canada and Ontario are each committing over $5 million for the 13 projects, which have a total eligible cost of more than $15 million. Communities will be responsible for all remaining project costs. Among those communities receiving funding through the SCF is Dubreuilville for construction of a new municipal landfill site to facilitate the disposal of non-hazardous residential, commercial and industrial waste to help mitigate the environmental impact on the local community.  The provincial and federal government are each providing $255,133 to Dubreuilville for the new landfill.