Gas_tax_rebate

Jeff Green | Jul 28, 2005

Feature article July 28, 2005

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Gas tax rebate won't pave too many rural roads

by Jeff Green

When a triumphant announcement came out from the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) last week about the federal gas tax deal for Ontario municipalities, local municipalities found little to cheer about.

Population was used as the determining factor in allocating funds, leaving small municipalities that seem to have more roads than people with very little funding.

North Frontenac is a prime example. With a permanent resident population of 1,801, North Frontenac will receive $17,599.18 in 2005-06. The funding will increase through the life of the five-year program, and North Frontenac will receive $58,520.14 in 2009-2010.

We receive no money for our 7,000 seasonal residents, complained Councillor Bud Clayton, even though we use roads and bridges for seasonal, as well as full time residents.

North Frontenac Public Works Manager John Ibey reports that the township maintains over 300 kilometres of paved roads and over 1,000 km. of roads in total.

Bud Clayton said, $17,599 wont go very far.

Central Frontenac Mayor and current Frontenac County Warden Bill MacDonald tried to convince AMO that the amount of kilometres of public roadways that townships had to maintain should be worked into the calculation about how the monies would be divided, but that did not happen

Central Frontenac will receive $44,429 in 2005-06, rising to $148,000 in 1009-10.

South Frontenac, with a larger population of 16,415, will receive $160,041.14 in 2005-2006, rising to $533,374.82 in 2009-10.

Addington Highlands Township, population 2,402, will receive $23,418 in 2005-06 riding to $78,048 in 2009-2010.

Tay Valley Township, with a population of 5,440, will receive $53,038 in 2005-06, rising to 4176,762 in 2009-2010.

Counties will also receive funding under the new program. Frontenac County, for example, will receive $237,999 in 2005-2006, riding to $793,189 in 2009-2010. Frontenac County, which is unusual among Ontario Counties in that it does not have a County Roads system or other infrastructure, it is yet to be determined how the money will be allocated.