More than $2.9-million in additional Covid relief funding is coming for municipalities in Grey and Bruce counties to help them grapple with financial pressures brought on by the pandemic.
The funds are part of $695-million the Ontario government is doling out to municipalities in a second round of emergency payments under the Safe Restart Agreement struck between provinces, territories and the federal government in July.
The deal provides up to $4-billion for municipalities. The federal and provincial governments will cost-share up to $2-billion in public transit relief, while the province is putting up $1.22-billion and the Canadian government $777-million to assist Ontario municipalities with Covid-related financial pressures.
Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound MPP Bill Walker confirmed the latest local funding amounts in a news release Wednesday, saying it will be used to offset operating costs for critical services and help ensure municipalities do not carry operating deficits into 2021.
“Today’s announcement will help our Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound municipalities develop a 2021 budget that reflects the reality of COVID-19 and give them the confidence they need to proceed with capital projects that will drive economic growth,” Walker says in a release.
More than $1.1-million is going to upper-tier governments — Bruce County and Grey County — while the remaining $1.8-million will be allocated to 11 lower-tier municipalities. Owen Sound is receiving $282,000.
This round of Covid aid for municipalities is in addition to $1.6-billion distributed by the Ontario government in August in the first round of payments. Local governments in Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound received over $9.3-million to help address deficits then.
In August, the provincial government also provided $660-million in transit funding to the 110 municipalities in Ontario with transit systems.
It was intended to provide immediate relief from transit pressures, such as lower ridership or added costs related to Covid.
Owen Sound, Hanover and Meaford were among the municipalities in the Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound riding to receive funds from the transit relief program.
Breakdown of Covid Aid Second Round Funding:
-Arran-Elderslie: $37,000
-Bruce County: $500,000
-Chatsworth: $38,000
-Georgian Bluffs: $64,000
-Grey Highlands: $67,000
-Grey County: $619,000
-Hanover: $985,000 in application based funding, $45,000 2021 funding, total: $1,030,000
-Meaford: $71,000
-Northern Bruce Peninsula: $64,000
-Owen Sound: $157,000 in application funding, $125,000 in 2021 funding, total: $282,000
-Southgate: $39,000
-South Bruce Peninsula: $89,000
-West Grey: $72,000