Municipal treasurers and chief administrative officers across Niagara should be breathing a little easier as a result of a funding announcement last week.
At the top of the list is Niagara Region, which learned it will receive $12.79 million in the first phase of the Federal and Provincial Safe Reopening Agreement.
That envelope includes $609,693 for regional transit, which has been hit hard by lower ridership and increased costs.
“These funds will be utilized to help the Region pay for the many unforeseen costs related to managing the COVID-19 pandemic,” Region Chairman Jim Bradley told council last week.
“It is worth noting the funding is separate and distinct from the 12 separate local area municipalities, which will also be receiving support for their pandemic-related pressures,” Bradley said.
There is additional transit funding on the municipal level, the bulk of which is going to St. Catharines, Niagara Falls and Welland, which run large transit systems. The local transit addition of $7,548,513 brings the overall funding for Niagara to $31,917,713 when more than $12 million in funding for local area municipalities under the Federal and Provincial Safe Reopening Agreement is added.
“This is good news for the Region and our municipalities,” Bradley said.
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