Shovel-Ready Infrastructure Projects Promised at AMO

Last week, the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) Minister of Infrastructure Laurie Scott told representatives of the province’s 444 municipalities that infrastructure cheques would soon be on their way.

Minister Scott did not announce any new program spending, but she did release details of previously launched programs as well as more precise program timing.

So far this year, announcements have been made on two of the four funding streams in the federal-provincial Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP) that will total over $10 billion in funding. Although the program has been announced, only the Rural and Northern stream and the Public Transit stream have been tapped.The Ministry of Infrastructure plans to roll out the other two streams: the Green stream and the Community, Culture and Recreation stream soon.

Rural, northern and small communities will also be supported through the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund. In January, the government announced a $200 million allotment through that fund to help 424 small, rural and northern communities build and repair critical local infrastructure, including ICI projects.

Other programs highlighted during the AMO speech:

• The Accelerated Build Pilot Program will support the construction of 960 new long-term-care beds in four facilities in three municipalities by the end of 2021.
• The Unsolicited Proposal Framework to encourage private-sector project proposals.
• The Improving Connectivity for Ontario program, a $150-million provincial broadband program that will leverage up to $500 million for broadband investment expansion into underserved communities. 
• The recent Spring 2020 P3 Market Update including 37 P3 projects including 17 civil, 16 health care, three community safety and one children’s treatment centre, representing more than $60 billion in P3 projects.