The annual Rural Ontario Municipalities Association (ROMA) conference began yesterday in Toronto. Attending this year from Elliot Lake are Counsellors, Bull, Flintoff, Mann, and Interim CAO deBortoli.
This morning, Minister of Infrastructure, Kinga Surma addressed the attendees, “We’re investing a historic $185B over the next ten years to build highways, roads, long term care homes, hospitals and schools.” The investment is equivalent to about $1,360 per Ontario resident per year.
Surma also told the audience that “Our government is investing $200M over three years to help municipalities repair, rehabilitate and expand critical water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure. That is about $29 per resident per year, over the next three years.
Municipalities can apply for the water/wastewater/stormwater infrastructure support beginning Jan. 29. The deadline is April 19. To be eligible, projects must start no later than Sep. 30, 2024.
Premier Doug Ford also welcomed and addressed the attendees at this morning's session.
Plenary session topics include: immigration to rural communities, housing, infrastructure, food security, responding to gender based violence, economic development, risk and liability, staffing and recruitment, collaboration with Indigenous partners, and rural and remote homelessness.
The two-and-a-half-day event, ends at noon tomorrow.