NEWS RELEASE
JILL DUNLOP, MPP SIMCOE NORTH
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Today, Jill Dunlop, MPP for Simcoe North announced that the Town of Midland, City of Orillia, Township of Oro-Medonte, Town of Penetanguishene and Townships of Ramara, Severn, Tay, Tiny will receive an additional combined $953,000 through Safe Restart Agreement funding. The discretionary funding will be used to offset operating costs for critical services and help ensure that Simcoe North does not carry an operating deficit into 2021.
“This funding will provide our communities with the support needed to continue delivering critical services that we all rely on everyday,” said MPP Dunlop. “Today’s announcement will help communities within Simcoe North and across Ontario 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.”
Simcoe North allocation will be as follows:
• Town of Midland - $97,000
• City of Orillia - $335,000
• Town of Penetanguishene - $49,000
• Township of Oro-Medonte - $116,000
• Township of Ramara - $77,000
• Township of Severn - $88,000
• Township of Tay - $67,000
• Township of Tiny - $124,000
The Ontario government is allocating an additional $695 million across the province to provide financial relief for municipalities and help ensure they do not carry operating deficits into 2021.This investment builds upon the first phase of the federal-provincial Safe Restart Agreement announced this summer.
“On behalf of the Town of Midland I want to express our appreciation for providing access to this additional Safe Restart Agreement funding,” said Stewart Strathearn, mayor for Town of Midland. “MPP Dunlop has continued to ensure the needs of our residents are appreciated as we continue to deal with and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. We look forward to using these funds to reinforce the services that our community desperately needs.”
“Tay Township is grateful for the announcement by Minister Clark that the Township will be receiving an addition $67,000 in Safe Restart Agreement funds to support our community during this unprecedented time,” said Ted Walker, mayor of Tay Township. “The funding will greatly assist the Township in ensuring that tax rates remain stable, while we continue to provide our essential municipal services, including recreational programs and services that our residents rely on for their health and well-being.”
“This joint funding will help Ontario’s municipalities recover from the impacts of COVID-19 faster, by helping them to enter into 2021 without operating deficits from this year,” said Steve Clark, minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. “By ensuring our municipal partners are in a sound financial position to begin the new year, they can better focus on keeping their capital projects on track while continuing to provide the critical services their residents rely on.”
Of the $695 million announced today, $299 million is being allocated across all 444 municipalities to help provide more financial relief, as 2021 operating budgets are finalized. An additional $396 million is also being allocated to 48 municipalities that have been hardest hit by COVID-19 and who have demonstrated a need for additional assistance in covering their 2020 operating deficits.
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