Northern Ontario’s prosperity will play a key role in the economic recovery of the province.
So says Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy.
He says the government is doubling the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund over five years to support small, rural and northern municipalities.
Bethlenfalvy also sees development of a road into the Ring of Fire as part of the turn around.
He notes the minerals available are essential to the manufacturing of things like batteries, electronics and electric vehicles Ontario badly needs.
Bethlenfalvy is also reiterating a commitment to building-up infrastructure, including expanding broadband services.
He stresses the pandemic has shown how important and vital online services and programs have become.
“We have 740,000 people in this province that either do not have access to internet or have poor broadband and poor internet. We started investing before COVID. I upped it to $4 billion in the budget and said we got to do this by 2025. We can’t wait.”
Bethlenfalvy adds the foundation of the economic recovery has to be laid in every corner of the province.
(With files from Randy Thoms: Fort Frances)
