The municipality is applying for a federal fund that could award them $1-million to put towards infrastructure.
If approved, the Canada 150 Fund would be used to develop the ongoing Downtown Chatham Streetscape Project, which looks to revitalize the downtown core.
Chief Administrative Officer Don Shropshire says the fund is a double-edged sword, with the municipality given little time to apply. "The federal government wants to do something that's going to add onto the regular budgeted process and stimulate the economy. Our goal is to make sure whatever project we put in place is going to be well-researched and well-engineered."
Users of the Canada 150 Fund must pay for 2/3 of the project they wish to get money for. In order to maximize the total amount of money Chatham-Kent can receive, they chose a $3-million project. So Chatham-Kent Council has also decided to contribute $2-million from the capital projects budget toward the streetscape project.
