Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound MPP Bill Walker announced that applications are open for the next round of the Connecting Links program for new road and bridge projects starting in spring 2020.

Last year, two municipalities in Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound received a combined $3,933,427 in Connecting Links funding. The City of Owen Sound received a maximum of $933,427 for the rehabilitation of 16th Street from 9th Avenue East to 18th Avenue East and the Town of South Bruce Peninsula received a maximum of $3 million towards the reconstruction of Berford Street from Mary Street to Division Street in Wiarton.

Connecting links are municipal roads or bridges that connect two ends of a provincial highway through a community or to a border crossing.

The province provided $30 million in 2019-20 to support Connecting Links projects across Ontario. The funding covers up to 90 per cent of eligible project costs, to a maximum of $3 million.

Eligible costs include the design, construction, renewal, rehabilitation and replacement of municipal roads and bridges that run through communities and connect to provincial highways.

“We will continue to invest in municipal roads and bridges to keep families safe and to support jobs and growth in local communities,” said Transportation Minister Caroline Mulroney. “These municipal roads and bridges are vital links that help connect people to jobs and make Ontario a more attractive place to invest and start or expand a business.”

The Connecting Links program repairs designated roadways and bridges that connect two ends of a provincial highway through a community or to a border crossing. Currently, there are 352 kilometres of roadway and 70 bridges designated as connecting links in 77 Ontario municipalities. Connecting Link projects are reviewed based on technical need and safety considerations such as bridge and road condition, need for repair in the near term and cost effectiveness.

Additional Resources:
Connecting Links
Connecting Links Application Form

source: media release