A Sarnia-Lambton delegation plans to address a number of issues impacting our community at the Association of Municipalities Ontario [AMO] conference in Ottawa this week.
A decision by the new Doug Ford government to limit a planned welfare increase to 1.5% is weighing heavily on Sarnia City Councillor Anne Marie Gillis.
She plans to discuss the action by the Progressive Conservatives with other municipalities and members of the newly elected provincial government.
Gillis says 1,800 people visit the food bank at Sarnia's Inn of the Good Shepherd each month and the decision will directly impact the most vulnerable members of the community and their ability to pay their bills.
Discussions aimed at securing provincial funding toward an oversize load corridor are also planned.
Sarnia-Lambton MPP Bob Bailey and Lambton-Kent-Middlesex MPP Monte McNaughton, who was also appointed Infrastructure Minister by Ford, said finding funding was a priority when they were re-elected in June.
Local governments and an industry coalition have committed half of the estimated $12-million needed to make significant hydro and road changes along a dedicated route between Sarnia Harbour and local industry and fabricators.
The plan is to get the project started with the local money while the area's two MPPs work at Queens Park to tap into the Southwest Ontario Development Fund.
The federal government, at this point, has refused to commit funds to the corridor.
Lambton County Warden Bill Weber, Petrolia Mayor John McCharles, St. Clair Township Mayor Steve Arnold and the city and county Chief Administrative Officers are also in Ottawa.
