Addington Highlands Council - Feb 17-26
Addington Highlands Council heard a presentation from Lindsay Nash from Quinte Conservation about an application Quinte is taking the lead on for a Growing Canada's Community Canopies Grant from the Green Municipal Fund.
The grant will support planting initiatives from municipalities and community groups in a number of applications, including : street tree planting, park tree planting, riparian planting, forest restoration, and reforestation on public or private lands.
The minimum local cost to participate in the program is $25,000, but that money will be coming from the 18 municipalities Quinte serves, as well as community and private interested in receiving back half the cost of new plantings aimed at augmenting the existing tree cover in the region.
Nash pointed out that her presentation was aimed at informing the township, and members of the public, about the cost shared planting program, and obtaining a letter of support from Addington Highlands Council for Quinte Conservation to apply for funding as the lead agency for all of those interested within the Quinte watershed.
When asked about funding implications for the township, which is about to enter into its budget process for 2026, Nash said all she was looking for at this point is a letter of support for the application, which council granted.
Alto Talk
Members of Council were given an opportunity to weigh in on the Alto corridor selection process that is underway.
“As far as helping, it does very little for us. I’m not really all in on this, myself personally, and I think we should address that,” said Councilor Kirby Thompson.
New Councillor Maurice Leveille said that he has been reading about other municipal responses and said that Addington Highlands is not alone in being concerned.
“Curious as to our actual responsibility here, we are not involved for funding, and it sounds like it will come through regardless of what we think or say about it”
Reeve Fritsch responded that “there is very little, or no benefit to our residents, but it will cut our township in half. We will be in line for a “vibrancy grant” but that is all.
Councilor Helen Yanch said “I can't imagine the amount of money the government will pay out for this, the property costs alone will be in the billions. I think they should put their money into regular rail. We should encourage everyone to go to the meetings and express their opinions.
Council then asked staff to prepare a response to be considered at the next meeting.
Rural Ontario Development Fund
Manager For Rads and Waste Brett Reavie talked about the pending deadline for an application to the latest intake for the provincial Rural Ontario Development (ROD) grant. He said he had been looking at applying for the replacement of the Syme's bridge on the O'Donnel Road, which is on the seasonally maintained portion of the road, and on some road work in that rough section as well. However, ROD grants cannot be used for bridge and road repairs.
It can be used for engineering and prep work for those projects, so he proposed that with help from Jewel engineering, and application could be prepared by the end of February deadline. Council granted the Reeve and the Clerk/Administrator authority to sign the grant application, as their next meet is not until March 3.
