Smiths Falls is taking three funding and policy concerns to the provincial government, including a $467,000 reduction in infrastructure funding over the past three years.
Council has unanimously approved staff preparing requests for ministerial delegations at the Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA) Conference in late January.
The town wants answers about the future of the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund, known as OCIF, which has maintained a provincial budget of $400 million over the past three years.
Smiths Falls’ allocation has dropped by $467,000, which CAO Malcom Morris says the taxpayers feel that hit.
The second priority is securing provincial funding for the proposed Smiths Falls Regional Recreation Complex. A new provincial program offers up to $10 million per project, although applying would not commit the town to building it.
The third request seeks changes to Ontario’s blue box legislation.
Morris says the town budgeted about $55,000 to provide recycling collection to as many as 228 small businesses excluded from the provincial program. Staff feel the policy should be reviewed.
The delegation requests must be submitted by November 20.