ATIKOKAN – A problem culvert was on Mayor Rob Ferguson’s mind Thursday after the Ontario government confirmed his town will be getting $510,754 from the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund next year.
“Well, in Atikokan we have three bridges that cross the Atikokan River that goes through town, and we had the culvert issue that happened in the last year,” he said when asked about 2024 infrastructure priorities for the Northwest town.
About 15 metres of roadway washed out in early May after the town’s Mercury Avenue culvert failed. The washout also affected a water main, resulting in a temporary boil-water advisory. Things looked so bad that Ferguson declared a state of emergency.
The culvert was up for replacement at the time of its failure, Ferguson said Thursday.
“Unfortunately, it didn't make it until the replacement date.”
Ferguson said the OCIF money will help pay for culvert replacement, which he said is a roughly $2-million project.
That price tag would be “tough to put on the taxpayers of Atikokan,” he said.
“In fact, the tax base can't support all the infrastructure upgrades required,” he continued.
The 2024 funding was announced Thursday in Thunder Bay by Thunder Bay-Atikokan MPP Kevin Holland and re-announced Friday morning in Atikokan along with other grants.
“Our government continues to invest in the renewal and rehabilitation of critical infrastructure … and this funding is used by municipalities to help create jobs and support a growing economy in Ontario while addressing critical infrastructure needs such as roads, bridges, water and wastewater projects,” Holland said.
“We listened to our municipal partners and in 2022 our government doubled its annual investment for OFIC funding to nearly $2 billion over five years … and the investment for 2024 is $400 million,” he added.
“And I'm happy to announce today the funding allotment for Atikokan (is) going to be $510,745. So congratulations on that.”
Holland said the program “helps municipalities repair roads, bridges, water and wastewater infrastructure to ensure that our communities remain safe, vibrant and welcoming places to call home.”
The Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund provides funding for infrastructure projects in communities with populations under 100,000, as well as all rural and northern communities in the province.
