Posted By Jeff Helsdon

Backhoes, pavers and bulldozers are being lined up as $1 billion in infrastructure funding was released on Friday.

The joint federal-provincial-municipal program will see $1 billion invested in municipal infrastructure such as water treatment, building roads and repairing bridges.

Area Members of Parliament announced projects approved for their respective ridings on Friday.

In Tillsonburg, federal funding of $515,824 will be used for reconstruction work on Quarterline Road and Concession Street. It will be matched by provincial and municipal funding for a total of more than $1.5 million.

Work to be done includes new storm water management, curbs, sidewalks and repaving of Concession Street from Charlotte to Quarterline and on Quarterline from Concession to Esseltine.

Mayor Stephen Molnar said the town is trying to maximize resources available to the community to build infrastructure. “We’re very excited and looking forward to partnerships,” he said.

Tillsonburg’s funding was one of five projects in Oxford County announced by MP Dave MacKenzie, who said one of the great things about the program was getting all three levels of government working together. “There will be good jobs in it and lasting benefits to the community,” he said.
 
To the west in Elgin County, MP Joe Preston announced seven separate projects. A $2.16 million upgrade (of which the federal government is paying $720,948) to Bayham’s water distribution system was among them. Bayham residents will also benefit from $1.896 million in funding for County Rd. 45 reconstruction. In Malahide, $678,536 is available for a new Springfield community centre.

In Haldimand-Norfolk, MP Diane Finley announced two big projects, one in each part of her riding. The ticket for Norfolk was $2.5 million for wastewater treatment upgrades, while in Haldimand, funding was provided for wastewater treatment in Hagersville.

The local projects were part of 289 announced across the province. Funding will be one-third each from the federal, municipal and provincial governments. This funding was from the Building Canada Fund, not part of more recent initiatives in the federal budget.