Keep Ontario RED, say counties

Getting rid of the Rural Economic Development (RED) program is a bad idea in the minds of the mayors of Prescott-Russell.

The United Counties of Prescott-Russell council (UCPR) voted unanimously, agreeing to support a resolution from South Dundas Municipality telling the provincial government to drop its plan to suspend the existing RED plan in favor of melding it into the new Jobs and Prosperity Fund program ( JPF).

Both South Dundas council, in neighbouring Stormont-Dundas-Glengarry counties, and Champlain Township municipal council have each raised separate objections to the provincial government proposal, stating that the JPF program’s emphasis on application approvals, for projects in categories where the minimum amount has to be either $5 million or $10 million in costs, favors urban communities with larger economic development aid projects, and will leave most small rural municipalities out of the running for funding aid.

Another criticism of the JPF program is that its application focus is restricted to private sector and industrial applications. The RED program would allow funding applications for projects aimed at downtown revitalization and other efforts in small communities to both encourage local businesses to stay and foster new growth.