Game changer?

Premier Doug Ford comes to Wellington

Premier Doug Ford and Ontario Minister of Infrastructure Kinga Surma stopped by the Highline Hall in Wellington on Monday morning to announce grant funding of $18.3 million from the Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund (HEWSF) toward the design of a new Wellington regional water treatment plant and raw water intake.

“This is a game-changer,” said Premier Ford. “This new facility will provide clean water to the communities of both Wellington and Picton for decades to come, and it will help the County get almost 4,000 new homes built—keeping the dream of home ownership alive for more families.”

Ford said Prince Edward County is growing, and more homes need to be built to support the growth seen over the last number of years.

“We’re working with our municipal partners here in Prince Edward County and across Ontario to get more homes built faster,” said Premier Ford. “With billions of dollars in investments in housing-enabling infrastructure, our government is helping get more shovels in the ground to keep the dream of homeownership alive and help families find a home that meets their needs and their budgets.”

Mayor Steve Ferguson claimed to the assembled media, without evidence, that the municipality has a financial plan in which growth pays for most of the costs, and provincial funding virtually eliminates the impact on future water rates.

(In fact, no such financial plan is in place in Prince Edward County. Unless and until such a financing plan is developed with defined terms and payment schedules, and developers agree to be bound by these conditions, the risk of spending $212 million and counting rests almost entirely upon the shoulders of County waterworks ratepayers.)

“People want to live in Prince Edward County,” said Mayor Ferguson,” but so many cannot find the housing that meets their needs. We are desperate for a more diverse mix of housing in our community, and we will only get that if the municipality can expand its drinking water service to support development,” said Ferguson. “We have a strong financial plan in place to do just that, with a focus on ensuring growth pays for growth. We are pleased the Government of Ontario understands our vision and is willing to invest in Prince Edward County.”

Ferguson’s assessment stands in sharp contrast to the current market environment. Shire Hall is on track to issue 72 new home building permits in 2024—the lowest level of new home building since the County was amalgamated in 1998.

Minister Kinga Surma said building Ontario means building more homes, and homes can’t be built without connections to clean drinking water.

“By investing in drinking water treatment facilities and connecting pipes to land, our government is helping municipalities build 511,000 new homes through the Housing- Enabling Water Systems Fund,” she said.

Water and wastewater infrastructure projects have been widely challenged by County residents who worry that the County is taking on too great a financial risk without guarantees when or if development pay its share. Residents have demanded a pause until proper program management is undertaken and a thorough and rocksolid financial plan is spelled out ensuring existing ratepayers aren’t left to carry the debt.

OTHER BITS
Premier Ford was asked about the possibility of his government investing in Highway 49. Ford was to the point.

“I’ll say it right now. If we can get the Feds on board, then we are on board,” said Ford. “So if they can pitch in money, we will pitch in money, and the County can pitch in some money. We are ready to go on it. I guess our next challenge is to make sure we get the Federal Government to give us some infrastructure money that is needed not just here but around Ontario.”

Ford made headlines nationwide on Monday when asked about the federal NDP’s decision to end the supply and confidence agreement with the federal Liberals. The CityNews news reporter wanted to know if it would impact Ford’s own election timing.

“As far as I am concerned, MP Singh is just blowing smoke,” said Ford. “There is nothing more important to these greedy politicians than collecting a pension, and he was elected on October 19 of 2019, and I will be floored—and I will stand up here and apologize to all the greedy politicians if he calls the election early. But let’s face it, he wants his pension. He is not going anywhere until October 20, 2025, because there is him and a whole bunch of other politicians who want to grab the taxpayer’s money.”