Allyson Beauregard
ILE-DU-GRAND-CALUMET — Fourteen municipalities in the MRC Pontiac will be
receiving additional financial assistance for the maintenance of their level 1 and 2
roads following the provincial announcement regarding revisions of the assistance
program for local road networks.
Allyson Beauregard
ILE-DU-GRAND-CALUMET — Fourteen municipalities in the MRC Pontiac will be
receiving additional financial assistance for the maintenance of their level 1 and 2
roads following the provincial announcement regarding revisions of the assistance
program for local road networks.
An additional $1,373,836 in financial assistance will be available annually to Pontiac municipalities, representing a 38% increase from the $3,572,758 awarded in 2017, for a total of $4,946,594. André Fortin, Pontiac MNA and Minister of Transport, made the announcement July 5 at the Calumet municipal garage.
Province-wide, the funding for the assistance program was increased by $50 million following consultation with municipalities, for an annual total of $224.7 million. Fortin noted that the Pontiac will receive 5% of the provincial envelope, which far outweighs its representation in terms of population. The assistance program remains effective until March 31, 2021.
Warden Jane Toller welcomed the news: “The condition of our roads is important in [generating] good first impressions,” she said.
About 25 years ago, the province transferred responsibility for many municipal roads to municipalities and created an annual fund to help offset the costs of their upkeep in what is known as the Ryan Reform. According to Fortin, the fund hasn’t been sufficient to meet needs.
Of the $50 million in additional funding, $20 million extra is available by municipal applications to the PIRL program. Fortin noted the application process has been simplified by reducing the steps required from eight to two and by speeding up the process.
Augmentation annuelle pour l’entretien des routes / Annual increase for road
maintenance: Alleyn-et-Cawood – $50,509; Bristol – $244,689; Chichester – $71,084; Clarendon – $261,160; Fort-Coulonge – $246; Ile-du-Grand-Calumet – $129,384; L’Isle-aux-Allumettes – $177,755; Litchfield – $148,705; Mansfield – $53,840; Otter Lake – $73,055; Rapides – $841; Sheenboro – $30,975; Thorne – $110,272; and Waltham – $22,321.
