Ontario provides Haldimand County flood recovery funding

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

March 24, 2021

Provincial funding will help cover the costs of repairing local roads and bridges

HALDIMAND COUNTY— Today, Toby Barrett, MPP for Haldimand Norfolk announced that the Ontario government is providing Haldimand County with up to $4,570,000 to help cover the costs to repair roads, bridges, drainage infrastructure and damage along the shoreline, that were damaged due to the October 2019 flood.

“It’s important that our government supports Haldimand County in its efforts to manage the financial impacts of the October 2019 flood,” said Toby Barrett, MPP for Haldimand Norfolk. “This funding will help the municipality cover the costs of essential repairs to our washed-out roads, local bridges and critical drainage infrastructure damaged by the flooding.”

The funding is being provided through Ontario’s Municipal Disaster Recovery Assistance (MDRA) program, which helps municipalities address extraordinary emergency response costs and damage to essential property or infrastructure like bridges, roads and public buildings, as a result of a natural disaster.

“The Municipal Disaster Recovery Assistance program is an important source of funding for municipalities who have suffered extensive damage due to unexpected natural disasters,” said Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. “The program ensures that municipalities, like Haldimand, do not face unfair financial burdens as a result of natural disasters beyond their control.”

QUICK FACTS

  • Eligible expenses under the program may include operating and capital costs that are over and above regular municipal budgets and are directly linked to the disaster.
  • A municipality may be eligible for the program if its disaster-related costs reach a threshold of three per cent of its own-purpose taxation levy.
  • Build Back Better pilot project through 2023, which helps eligible municipalities that have qualified for disaster recovery assistance rebuild infrastructure damaged by extreme weather to a higher standard.

LEARN MORE

Preparing for an emergency

Municipal Disaster Recovery Assistance Guidelines

Ontario’s Flooding Strategy

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For more information, contact MPP Toby Barrett at 519-428-0446 or toby.barrett@pc.ola.org