Mississauga seeking funding for fire halls, bike lanes, trails and more
Published December 24, 2020 at 2:34 am
If the federal government comes through with some funding, residents could see changes and improvements in some city-owned parks and facilities.
Earlier this month, council selected 11 short-term projects that the City of Mississauga will submit for consideration under the new COVID-19 Resilience Infrastructure Stream of the federal government’s Investing in Canada Infrastructure Plan (ICIP). The stream is cost-shared between the federal government (80 per cent) and the provincial government (20 per cent).
Mississauga has been allocated a total of $14.8 million in COVID-related ICIP funding, but all proposed projects must receive federal approval before proceeding.
The projects put forward by the city focus on municipal building infrastructure retrofits and lifecycle maintenance; active transportation infrastructure; reforestation and tree planting; and disaster mitigation infrastructure.
“These types of investments are important in building strong and vibrant communities that help our economy run smoothly,” said Mayor Bonnie Crombie in a statement.
“Cities are the economic engines of this country. Mississauga generates $60 billion in GDP alone, every year. We’re home to more than 450,000 jobs and 94,000 businesses. This COVID-19 Resilience Stream gives us the opportunity to put forward projects on an accelerated timeline.”
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The city is asking for funding for retrofits and repairs at its fire halls ($2.3 million) and the Living Arts Centre ($1.12 million). It’s also asking for funding to cover or help cover a number of infrastructure projects, including cycle tracks (Matheson Boulevard East and Commerce Boulevard), the multi-use trail on Eglinton Avenue East, the multi-use trail on Kennedy Rd. and bridge redevelopments (Middle Road bridge, Huron Park, Lake Aquitaine and the Sawmill Valley Trail).
The city is also applying for funding for work on the JJ Plaus Pier and shoreline repair and beachfront access at Jack Darling Park.
Projects submitted and approved must begin construction no later than Sept. 30, 2021, and the projects must be substantially completed by the end of 2021.
“As a result of our deliberate and detailed business planning and capital budgeting process, we responded quickly to this new funding stream opportunity. We brought forward a list of projects that meet the criteria for council’s consideration and approval in advance of the January 7, 2021 submission deadline,” said Gary Kent, Commissioner of Corporate Services and Chief Financial Officer, in a statement.
“The next steps are for staff to complete the funding applications for the projects endorsed by Council today prior to the submission deadline.”
To learn more about the proposed projects, click here.
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