Province announces $4.6M for road projects in the Sault

The province is spending nearly $4.6 million to improve road infrastructure in Sault Ste. Marie.

The city already planned on spending heavily on roads, but Mayor Matthew Shoemaker said now the money can be spread further at budget time.

“Provincial funding here helps us reduce the municipal burden,” Shoemaker said.

“And then (we can) either reduce the amount we need to increase taxes to pay for these streets, or put them towards other priorities like active transportation.”

Sault MPP Ross Romano said the funding gives the city more options.

“The more we can provide assistance to our municipalities in being able to address local infrastructure needs, especially things like roads, resurfacing, reconstruction projects of that nature, the more they can do other projects, as well,” Romano said.

Sault officials said the money is being earmarked for some top priorities in the Sault’s five-year capital plan.

Though it needs to be voted on by council, Wemyss Street and Blake Avenue are areas in need of reconstruction.

“On Blake, it’s been a significant problem area,” Shoemaker said.

“There’s been a lot of neighborhood concern over the rate of vehicles and there’s ditches on that street. So I believe the intention of this money is to help upgrade roads, sidewalks, and curbs that it currently doesn’t have.”

Of that $4.6 million, $2.4 million will go to road resurfacing, and $1.9 million is slated for wastewater work.

The remaining funds are heading to pedestrian crossovers and Phase 2 of the city's asset management plan.

“As anyone who’s driven in a northern Ontario municipality knows, of course here in Sault Ste Marie, they’re always in need of help,” Romano said.

“It’s a constant cycle and we need to continue those investments in able to maintain that infrastructure.”

The province historically funds this type of work, but funding for communities of with fewer than 100,000 people was nearly doubled last year by the Ford government.