Municipal politicians are getting a chance to discuss their biggest needs with the province this week at the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) conference in Ottawa.
Infrastructure, housing, and connectivity are top of mind for Chatham-Kent officials as they seek an increase in provincial funding.
Mayor Darrin Canniff says the municipality is looking to remove the $10 million cap on the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund.
"Council passed a resolution in March requesting that the province lifts the cap which will allow us to receive funding based on the full extent of our needs," said Canniff.
According to Chief Financial Officer Gord Quinton, Chatham-Kent is one of three municipalities that are capped at $10 million.
"Ourselves, Thunder Bay, and the Greater Sudbury Area are all capped at $10 million in infrastructure funding," said Quinton. "For example, Essex County had got a total of $18.5 million but us being single-tier, we hit the cap. With infrastructure and inflation skyrocketing, every nickel counts."
Delegates from Chatham-Kent got to voice their concern during a meeting Monday with provincial Infrastructure Minister Kinga Surma.
Quinton said no decisions have been made yet but the municipality is hopeful the cap will be removed when the province announces its 2023 provincial funding.
"They're appreciative of us bringing it to their attention," said Quinton. "They haven't made the decisions for 2023 yet so I think the timing was important."
In addition to infrastructure, Quinton said other key topics of discussion at this week's meeting include ones on affordable housing and connectivity.
"One of the highlights is rural broadband internet," said Quinton. "We have a provincial premise to get everyone connected by 2025 and it's about holding them to that promise and getting it done over the next couple of years."
Canniff is joined by Interm Chief Administrative Officer Tony Haddad and councillors Karen Kirkwood-Whyte, Clare Latimer, Carmen McGregor, Doug Sulman, Melissa Harrigan, and Brock McGregor.
The conference wraps up Wednesday.
