Province Funds Trail Development

Jeff Green | Dec 18, 2024

The Ontario government has provided Lanark County and the County of Frontenac with up to $406,000 in combined funding to support initiatives that will strengthen each region’s capacity to boost local economic development.

Through the latest intake of the Rural Economic Development (RED) program, the government has provided $210,000 in funding to the County of Frontenac to help rehabilitate an additional eight kilometres of the K&P Trail, bridging Clarendon Station to the Mississippi River.

Part of this funding will also be used to implement wayfinding signage and a trail counter, a device used to measure the number of trail users. As part of a larger strategic effort to create a 350-kilometre Rail Trail Loop in Eastern Ontario, this project will enhance connectivity within the region and integrate the K&P Trail into a distinct touristic experience.

Over the border in Tay Valley Township, Lanark County, they are providing $195,830 to Lanark County to support the rehabilitation of the Tay-Havelock Trail and bridge surfaces. The project will significantly improve the trail's infrastructure, accessibility and safety, ensuring it remains a valuable resource for the local community and visitors. This funding will help enhance the region’s appeal as a place for outdoor recreation and tourism, and as a place to live.

“Our government is committed to the success and prosperity of Ontario’s rural communities,” said Lisa Thompson, Minister of Rural Affairs. “Through the RED program, communities like Lanark and Frontenac are being empowered to grow, improve and attract investment for years to come.”

“I’m proud that our government is committing the funds necessary to help renew and build up our small towns and cities,” said Steve Pinsonneault, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Rural Affairs. “We are supporting growth, safety and accessibility to forge strong rural communities.”

“Our government’s vision for a healthy, vibrant Ontario includes a strong emphasis on local priorities,” said John Jordan, MPP for Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston. “That’s why I am proud that Lanark and Frontenac Counties received this Rural Economic Development funding from the Ministry of Rural Affairs. This funding is pivotal in developing strong, resilient communities, while enhancing economic well-being in Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston. We are working together to promote rural municipalities as great places to live, work and do business.”

Although the funding was just announced this week, the work on the K&P trail in Central and North Frontenac has already been completed, and the enhanced K&P Trail is now complete from Lake Ontario all the way to the Mississippi River.