The province is taking back a cheque issued to The Blue Mountains earlier this year.
In April this year, the Blue Mountains received a grant for $2.3 million to help build a pipeline to transport leachate from the landfill to the wastewater treatment plant. Currently, the leachate is transported by truck. MPP Jim Wilson presented the cheque to the town's mayor and staff. However, the new provincial government under Premier Doug Ford cancelled the funding earlier this month.
The grant was issued under the Municipal Greenhouse Gas Challenge Fund, which the Ford government has cancelled.
“Our government was elected on a clear mandate, to put people first and make life more affordable for families in Ontario,” said Simcoe-Grey MPP Jim Wilson, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, in a statement sent to CollingwoodToday. “Part of that was our commitment to end the Liberal’s cap-and-trade carbon tax. Programs associated with the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Account (GGRA) were being funded through this regressive tax that we fundamentally disagree with.”
According to a press release issued by the Town of The Blue Mountains, the town received notice on July 10 that the program was cancelled and the grant money was withdrawn.
The town was told some “wind-down” funding may be available.
The town is part way through the design phase and planned to start construction in early 2019. There is a special council meeting today (July 31) to discuss potential next steps for the project.
Wilson said he recognizes the funding is important to the community.
“I have raised it with my colleague, the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks and will report back as soon as I can,” said Wilson.
