Ford government puts funding into crucial infrastructure

Connecting Links will allow the Ontario government to help municipalities repair designated municipal roadways and bridges connecting two ends of a provincial highway through a community or to a border crossing.

"The investment we are making today is not just about improving our roads and bridges. It's also about creating good jobs in communities across the province, ensuring businesses can get their goods to market, and getting people to work on time and home sooner so they can spend more time with their families," said Premier Doug Ford. "This investment is another part of our made-in-Ontario plan for growth, renewal and economic recovery."

Funding from Connecting Links will provide eligible municipalities with up to 90 per cent of project costs. Road projects can have $3 million provided to them. The maximum amount of available funding for bridge projects has been raised from $3 million to $5 million to reflect the higher costs of maintaining and repairing bridges compared to roads.

Eligible costs include the design, construction, renewal, rehabilitation, and replacement of municipal roads and bridges connecting two ends of a provincial highway through a community or to a border crossing.

Ontario has 77 municipalities eligible to apply for provincial funding through Connecting Links. These municipalities comprise 352 kilometres of connecting links and 70 bridges.

Municipalities can apply online until Nov. 6 by visiting the Ministry of Transportation's website.

Connecting Links projects are reviewed based on technical needs and safety considerations, such as connecting link bridge and road conditions, need for repair in the near term, and cost effectiveness.

The Ford government has invested $2.6 billion this year to expand and repair highways and bridges in communities across Ontario.