By Chad Ingram

Published Jan. 28 2020

Last week the provincial government announced annual funding allocations for municipalities under both its Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund and Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund programs.
Under the OMPF which is the province’s main grant funding program for municipalities traditionally essentially equalization payments for Ontario’s less prosperous and rural communities overall funding levels for the municipalities of Haliburton County will remain close to what they were for 2019. The Township of Algonquin Highlands will receive $1264000 $20000 less than the $1284000 it received last year. The Township of Minden Hills will see an increase in its OMPF funding receiving approximately $1.8 million up from approximately $1.7 million last year. The municipalities of Dysart et al and Highlands East will each receive the exact same funding amount as 2019 at $1.7 million and $1.9 million respectively and the upper tier of the County of Haliburton will see its funding drop from $284200 last year to $241600.

The funding is based on a number of criteria including the number of households per municipality how rural the municipalities are how small they are and what their fiscal circumstances are. It is used to offset general operating expenses.
Finance Minister Rod Phillips made the funding announcement during the Rural Ontario Municipal Association conference in Toronto on Monday.
“Municipalities told us how vital the OMPF is to their communities and they need information sooner to plan their budgets” Phillips said in a release. “That’s why we announced allocations for 2020 earlier than ever before and why we’re committing today to maintain the funding envelope for next year.”

Through the OCIF which provides money for infrastructure projects the county and its municipalities will collectively receive nearly $650000. The Township of Algonquin Highlands will receive $50000 which will be allocated for roads rehabilitation and the Township of Minden Hills will receive just more than $102000 which will be allocated to its roads department. The municipalities of Dysart et al and Highlands East will receive approximately $160000 and $50000 respectively also for roads and the upper tier of the County of Haliburton will receive nearly $285000. Collectively municipalities throughout Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock are getting an infrastructure funding infusion of nearly $3.2 million.
“We are continuing to support our local municipal partners in creating jobs and stimulating economic growth keeping our community thriving” HKLB MPP Laurie Scott who is also Ontario’s infrastructure minister said in a release. “This funding delivers more money to address local infrastructure priorities.”