News

Ontario Supports Modernization of Small and Rural Communities

Province helps improve the delivery of critical programs and services in Nipissing

NIPISSING – Vic Fedeli, MPP for Nipissing announced that the Ontario government is providing up to $210,657 to help improve the delivery of critical programs and services in three municipalities within the District of Nipissing. The funding is being delivered through the Municipal Modernization Program and will support the following projects:

Callander

• The Municipality of Callander Digital Modernization; and
• The Municipality of Callander E-billing and Service Delivery Modernization

Powassan

• The Municipality of Powassan Technology and Software Modernization

Chisholm

• The Township of Chisholm Online Property Portal Implementation

“COVID-19 has highlighted the need for municipalities to be as efficient and nimble as possible, while ensuring services remain financially sustainable today and in the future,” said Vic Fedeli, MPP for Nipissing. “Through the Municipal Modernization Program, our government continues to support our local municipal partners to operate more efficiently and streamline processes to deliver high-quality, sustainable services for residents and businesses, when and where they need them.”

The Ontario government is investing up to over $28 million to help 322 small and rural municipalities find better and more efficient ways to deliver local services for residents and businesses.

Municipalities can use the funding to conduct reviews of local services and administrative operations to find efficiencies, including accelerating the creation of new housing through streamlined development approvals and working with neighbouring municipalities to share services.

With the Municipal Modernization Program, as well as the new Streamline Development Approval Fund and the Audit and Accountability Fund, our government is helping municipalities across the province make their planning and approvals processes more efficient in order to unlock and fast-track new housing to address the housing supply crisis.

QUICK FACTS

• January 19^th Ontario-Municipal Housing Summit, Ontario announced a new $45 million Streamline Development Approvals Fund, as well as an additional investment of over $8 million through the Audit and Accountability Fund, to help large urban municipalities identify efficiencies and streamline processes, such as development approvals, with the goal of building more homes faster to address the housing supply crisis.
• Community Housing Renewal Strategy and Ontario’s response to COVID-19, the province is providing more than $3 billion between 2020 and 2022. This includes over $1 billion through the Social Services Relief Fund to municipal and Indigenous partners, which is one of the largest investments in affordable housing and homelessness supports in the province’s history.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• More Homes, More Choice: Ontario’s Housing Supply Action Plan