Chatham-Kent councillors will be getting some money for projects they feel are a priority within their ward.
On Monday, council unanimously voted in favour of using a portion of the funds from the Hydro One Community Support Agreement to support and implement a ward funding program.
Each councillor will be given $25,000 on an annual basis to help fund projects in their community.
"I think this is really exciting that we are able to think about community support agreements, both in a broader sense of investing in infrastructure but also to think about some of the micro or corner-of-the-community initiatives that are important to local wards and councillors," said Councillor Melissa Harrigan.
The program will have some restrictions.
A report to council noted that the funds must be consistent with the terms of the community support agreement, the funds will be subject to approval through council, and the funds comply with other municipal policies and bylaws.
"Community engagement will still be performed in relation to the appropriate use of the remaining funds," read the report. "To date, various groups have identified tennis, rugby, cricket, pickleball, basketball, and ball hockey facilities as priorities. The community engagement process will allow for an assessment of those recreational needs, and any other recreational and cultural priorities of our citizens."
The mayor will also receive a total of $125,000 to apply to projects across the region. Any unused ward funds will be carried forward to the next fiscal year.
"The whole program is kept rather vague to allow for a lot of flexibility between wards for matching or if they can get grants from elsewhere to get it where it needs," said Mayor Darrin Canniff. "It's designed to be very flexible to allow for the needs right across Chatham-Kent."
