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TIMES -ADVOCATE
Exeter, Ontario, Canada
Wednesday, April 6, 2005
x.25 (includes GST)
$350 million
water project
in the works
By Scott Nixon
TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF
ZURICH — The
planned $11 million
Lake Huron water
pipeline to Exeter is part
of a larger $350 million
project that will serve
550,000 people with
water from
L ake
Huron and
Lake Erie.
A public
meeting
was held
March 31
at the
Zurich
Community
Centre to
explain the
H uron
E lgin
London Project (HELP),
which involves 14
municipalities, including
South Huron, Bluewater,
Lambton Shores, Lucan
Biddulph and the City of
London. The project will
be implemented in phas-
es over 20 years and will
serve the entire region
between lakes Huron
and Erie.
As was explained at
last week's meeting,
much of the project is
dependant on federal
and provincial grants,
although some projects
will go forward with or
without grants. The
Joint Boards of
Management, which rep-
resent the Lake Huron
Primary Water Supply
System, the Elgin Area
Primary Water Supply
System and the City of
London, are seeking a
Canada Strategic
Infrastructure Fund
(CSIF). CSIF is a grant
for programs costing at
least $75 million.
The Joint Boards are
not only looking for a
federal grant, but
matching grants from
the province
as well as
money from
other smaller
funding pro-
grams.
"We believe
we can get this
kind of fund-
ing," Joint
Water Boards
chief adminis-
trative officer
Pete Steblin
s a i d .
Municipalities involved
are attempting to get
their local MPs and
MPPs on board. None,
however, attended last
week's meeting,
although they were invit-
ed. There were fewer
than 30 people at the
meeting, most of whom
were municipal council-
lors or employees.
Steblin said while
water is a vital ingredi-
ent in life, most people
take it for granted,
although it is often
appreciated more in
rural areas than in
urban centres.
He described the HELP
Clean Water project as
"very important", and
one that will provide
clean water for genera-
tions to come.
See PROJECT page 2
"There's a I
way to go i
terms of to
this dream
reality"
PETE
JOINT
BOAR
ADMINIS
ong
n
rn ing
into a
STEBLIN
WATER
DS CHIEF
TRATIVE
OFFICER
ttrlcn loci- S5 Pounds
and 70 in�heS.
As our clients vary, so As their results.
Reverend Ray Lawhead, surrounded by altar servers, leads his congregation in prayer at Precious Blood Parish
on April 3. Reverend Lawhead began Sunday mass by asking parishoners to pray for the soul of Pope John Paul
II who passed away April 2 at the age of 84. (photo/Stephanie Mandziuk)
South Huron sees funding increase
By Scott Nixon
TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF
SOUTH HURON — The last cou-
ple of weeks have seen the
province open up its wallet for
municipalities.
The Liberal government
announced its new Ontario
Municipal Partnership Fund,
which replaced the former
Community Reinvestment Fund,
set up to help municipalities
adjust to amalgamations. Council
discussed the funding Monday
night.
Under the new fund, South
Huron will receive $1.93 million
in 2005, up from last year's $1.54
million. The municipality also
receives one-time funding of
$249,000 to make up for provin-
cial money it should have received
in 2003-04, but didn't.
Council will decide what to do
with the money in its 2005 budget
talks.
Bluewater also sees a funding
increase this year: the municipali-
ty will receive $1.06 million, up
from last year's $817,000.
Bluewater also receives $508,000
in one-time funding.
Province -wide, the program will
give municipalities $656 million in
2005, an increase of 6.1 per cent
over last year.
Council also discussed the
province's recently announced
grant program to fire services. As
already reported, South Huron
will receive $70,000, which can
be used for training and equip-
ment not already in municipal
budgets.
While council sent a letter of
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appreciation to the province for
the grant, some wondered why
the province seemed so loose with
its money.
"Is this the same government
that has a $5 billion deficit?"
Deputy Mayor Dave Urlin asked.
"These guys just amaze me."
Mayor Rob Morley agreed. While
he said he hated to "bad mouth" a
grant from the province, he won-
dered since the grant is partly
intended for equipment munici-
palities wouldn't normally buy,
are they high priority purchases?
In other funding news, chief
administrative officer Larry
Brown said he expects to know in
two weeks if South Huron will
receive its Canada -Ontario
Municipal Rural Infrastructure
Fund (COMRIF) grant, which
See FUNDING page 2
Heittbd de,r,
i
WEIGHT LOSS & NUTRITION CENTRES
394 Huron Rd., Goderich
524-5555
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235-3088