Ontario Supports Modernization of Small and Rural Communities

Province helps improve the delivery of critical programs and services in Leeds-Grenville 

BROCKVILLE — The Ontario government is helping to improve the delivery of critical programs and services in Leeds-Grenville-Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, enabled by funding through the Municipal Modernization Program to support the following local projects: 

> Municipality of North Grenville: Implementing Procurement System Modernization, Asset   

   Management Software, Council Chambers and Meeting Room Modernization, and     

   Records Management Modernization.  

> Township of Gananoque: Implementing a Ticket Process and Maintenance Management  

   Modernization 

> Township of Augusta: Third Party Review of Ticket Process, Maintenance Management  

   Modernization, Financial Planning and Service Level Review, Shared Service Business  

   Case for Leachate Management Services, and a Shared Service Business Case and  

   Industrial Lands Development Review 

> Township of Elizabethtown-Kitley: Implementing a Communications Systems  

   Modernization and Enhancement and Digital Modernization 

> Township of Front of Yonge: Modernization Third Party Review  

> Township of Leeds and the Thousand Islands: Implementing Digital Modernization and  

    Records Management  

> Village of Merrickville-Wolford: Third Party Review of Service Delivery 

> Township of Rideau Lakes: Implementing Budgeting and Planning Systems    

   Modernization, and a Third Party Review of the Treasury Department and the Roads  

    Department.  

“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 Steve Clark, MPP for Leeds-Grenville-Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes. “As I announced at the virtual 2022 ROMA conference earlier this week, our government continues to support our municipal partners through the Municipal Modernization Program to operate more efficiently and streamline processes to deliver high-quality, sustainable services for residents and businesses, when and where they need them.” 

Ontario is providing over $28 million to support 322 projects through the Municipal Modernization Program to help small and rural municipalities across the province find better, 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  

• Over the lifespan of the Municipal Modernization Program and Audit and Accountability Fund, Ontario is providing up to $350 million to help municipalities identify and implement modern solutions. 
• At the 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.  
• The province’s ongoing work to address housing supply complements our continued supports for supportive and affordable housing for our most vulnerable Ontarians. Through the 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

 

• The provincial government’s housing policies under More Homes, More Choice: Ontario’s Housing Supply Action Plan  

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For more information, contact: 

Doug Brewer:  

MPP Steve Clark’s Office 

Office: (613) 342-9522  

Cell: (613) 246-4278