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Better late than never, but governments collaborate with Henry Street funding

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Late into the construction season is not ideal, but better late than never was the thought of all three levels of government after it was announced that more than $785,000 in infrastructure funding was received for the ongoing Henry Street reconstruction in Mitchell.

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Perth-Wellington MP John Nater and MPP Randy Pettapiece both congratulated the Municipality of West Perth Aug. 20 on their successful application for federal and provincial funding for the Henry Street reconstruction project in Mitchell through the Investing in Canada infrastructure plan.

This funding will allow the municipality to reconstruct approximately 610-metres of Henry Street, between St. Andrew and Arthur Streets, replace road granular and pavement, and add sidewalks, curbs and gutters.

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The federal government will provide $471,558 for the project while the provincial government will contribute $314,057, with the Municipality of West Perth providing $157,500.

The announcement was made by the Government of Canada following a series of delays which caused frustration amongst local elected and public officials.

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“While we are very appreciative of receiving this funding we are also frustrated with the tendering guidelines which were required to stick handle this project for our construction season,” said West Perth Mayor Walter McKenzie in a press release. “It has been a challenge to manage this project, to follow the rules related to tendering and contract approval for the eligible components while still ensuring that this critical project is can be completed in the 2019 construction season.”

MP Nater agreed the process was needlessly burdened by red tape.

“The application process began last year, yet it took until late August for Infrastructure Canada to give final approval. With the money arriving this late in the construction season Infrastructure Canada has put West Perth in a difficult situation,” he said in the press release. “For four years I have advocated for stable and predictable infrastructure transfers from the federal government to our municipalities. The current Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program, which requires multiple applications and reviews from all three levels of Government, is inefficient and needs to be changed.”

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Nater added there are rural communities in Perth-Wellington and across Canada waiting on the federal government to approve infrastructure funding.

“It’s unfortunate the current government has been unable to get infrastructure money out the door in a timely manner,” he said.

The project will go hand-in-hand with the new bridge planned over the Thames River at Henry Street, which is just underway, as well as a new multi-lot residential subdivision at the east end of Mitchell.

“The project will bring much-needed improvements to an important artery in the community’s road network,” Nater said. “I am thankful my colleague, MPP Pettapiece and the Ontario government advocated on behalf of this project.”

“This approval is great news for the residents of Mitchell and West Perth. Our government is focused on meeting important infrastructure needs in rural Ontario,” Pettapiece added. “Locally, it was a team effort between all three levels of government to get this project approved.”

“We are very pleased to receive word about our success in obtaining an Infrastructure Canada grant,” said Mayor McKenzie “This much needed grant will allow us to make the much needed improvements to our infrastructure and allow capacity to expand our residential area for future needs in the northeast portion of the Mitchell Ward.”

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