Co-ordinated approach to grant applications pays off for Town of Fort Erie

The Town of Fort Erie has its eye on the prize when it comes to securing funding opportunities that can support major infrastructure projects.

In 2017, the municipality acquired $5.7-million in grant funding thanks to the efforts of a recently-developed grants oversight team, formed in 2016 to review grant opportunities.

Corporate services director Jonathan Janzen said the group was established to consolidate efforts and maximize funding.

“Funding programs require the coordination of applications, compliance and reporting. The team allows the town to be better positioned to plan and perform the requirements of each program,” he said.

One of the biggest highlights is $1.7 million from the federal Clean Water and Wastewater Fund for the replacement of aging water and sanitary sewer infrastructure along sections of Dufferin, Murray and Battery streets. Public transit also benefits from $149,000 for new bus stops and shelters.

A reconstruction of Highland Street also benefits from the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund, receiving more than $816,000. A provincial fund for cycling infrastructure has also pedalled its way into Fort Erie’s budget with $250,000 for the construction of 700 metres of asphalt multi-use recreational trail and 2.3 kilometres of on-road cycle infrastructure improvements.

Programs offered by Niagara Region, one for sewer inspections and flow monitoring, have also put $82,500 into Fort Erie, while another to support recycling in downtown cores, has provided more than $22,000.

The town also receives a number of ongoing or formula-based grants that are applied to operating and capital needs such as the Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund, Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund, Provincial Dedicated Gas Tax and Federal Gas Tax, which makes up the balance of the $5.7 million.

Mayor Wayne Redekop said the hard work of town staff to secure this funding deserves praise.

“The money we receive from upper levels of government is put to good use and allows us to not only expand, nut also accelerate a lot of the work we’re doing here,” he said.