Funding remains safe for projects
Time extensions allow for grant money to remain in place
By Dave Flaherty/The Oshawa Express
The region has received a bit of amnesty in the face of losing out on $5 million in federal and provincial funding for water and wastewater projects.
As reported earlier in The Oshawa Express, last year the federal government approved 15 regional projects under the Clean Water and Wastewater Fund (CWWF) totalling $44 million.
Through the CWWF, the feds will cover 50 per cent of funding for these projects, while the province and region contribute the rest.
The federal and provincial funding was originally made contingent on projects being 60 per cent complete by March 31, 2018, and 100 per cent complete by March 31, 2019.
Last month, staff estimated $5.1 million in funding, $3.4 million federal and $1.7 million provincial, was at “moderate risk” of falling by the wayside and becoming the region’s financial responsibility due to projects being behind on schedule.
On several occasions during 2017, staff shared these concerns with regional council and indicated they would be making them known to senior levels of government as well.
According to a report in the Jan. 19 council information package, it was “acknowledged by the federal and provincial governments that the recipients [of funding] were facing challenges to meet the specified timelines” and the CWWF program guidelines have been eased.
The 2018 deadline has been removed completely, and the 2019 deadlines extended to March 31, 2020.
According to a staff report in the Jan. 19 council information package, these changes will have a “positive financial impact” for Durham, with all projects expected to be complete by the new deadline.