Oro-Medonte, Ontario – Residents of the Township of Oro-Medonte are enjoying a smoother, safer commute thanks to a series of road rehabilitation projects funded through Canada’s Gas Tax Fund.
“Our Government is proud to have invested in these infrastructure improvement projects that created local jobs and will provide safe and efficient roadways for residents and visitors,” said Bruce Stanton, Member of Parliament for Simcoe North. “Through Canada’s Gas Tax Fund, we are continuing to deliver long-term infrastructure funding to municipalities for local road upgrades in Ontario, and across Canada.”
“This funding has enabled the Township to upgrade roads throughout Oro-Medonte,” said Mayor Harry Hughes. “This investment will lead to lower vehicle maintenance costs, allow for smoother and safe bus rides for students and will protect the environment by eliminating dust and the need for oiling roads.”
Improvements were made to four local roads in 2011: Moon Point Road, Lakeshore Road (Lakeshore to Shoreline Drive), Mount St. Louis Road (Scarlett Line to Line 2 North) and Line 10 North (Eady Sideroad to County Road 19). Line 10 North was a multi-year project that was completed in 2011. In each case, upgrades included strengthening the existing road base and laying a new road surface, increasing safety and improving traffic flow. These investments will allow local, tourist and commercial traffic to move more efficiently throughout the Township.
The Township of Oro-Medonte used $219,401 of its 2010 federal Gas Tax Fund allocation towards improvements to Line 10 North, and $581,279 of its 2011 allocation towards rehabilitating Moon Point Road, Lakeshore Road, Mount St. Louis Road, as well as the completion of Line 10 North improvements.
"Canada's Gas Tax Fund acknowledges that all orders of government must work together to address the pressing need for infrastructure investment in our municipalities," said Gary McNamara, President of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO). "Stable and predictable, the Gas Tax Fund is supporting long-term investment in local priority projects right across Ontario."
The Government of Canada is focused on creating new opportunities for jobs, growth and long-term prosperity, and infrastructure investments are an important part of this plan. Canada’s Gas Tax Fund provides stable, long-term funding to local governments to help them build and revitalize public infrastructure. This program primarily supports capital projects such as local roads, water treatment, public transit, community energy systems and waste management infrastructure that lead to cleaner air, cleaner water or reduced greenhouse gas emissions. In December 2011, the Government of Canada passed legislation to make the Gas Tax Fund a permanent annual investment of $2 billion per year.
The Government of Canada, through the Gas Tax Fund alone, provides $746 million in funding annually for municipal infrastructure in Ontario. Between 2010 and 2014, the Township of Oro-Medonte will receive over $2.45 million from Canada’s Gas Tax Fund.
Oro-Medonte is a diverse and beautiful community with a central location in Ontario. A community of 20,031 full-time residents, Oro-Medonte covers a land area of 61,000 hectares, stretching from the northern border of Barrie and Lake Simcoe to the southern fringes of Orillia and north to Tay and Severn Townships. For more information, please visit our website www.oro-medonte.ca.
For further information on the Government of Canada’s infrastructure investments in Ontario, visit www.infrastructure.gc.ca.
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For additional information, please contact:
Genevieve Sicard
Office of the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities
613-991-0700
Samah Othman
Corporate Communications Specialist
Township of Oro-Medonte
705-487-2171 Ext 2338
Infrastructure Canada
613-960-9251
Toll free: 1-877-250-7154
