Jul 22 2013
The Honourable Rob Nicholson, P.C., Q.C, Member of Parliament for Niagara Falls and Minister of National Defence, on behalf of the Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of Infrastructure, Communities and Intergovernmental Affairs and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, along with Kim Craitor, Member of Provincial Parliament for Niagara Falls and His Worship Douglas G. Martin, Mayor of Fort Erie, marked the completion of infrastructure improvements to Ridge Road in the Town of Ridgeway.
The project involved repaving the road, replacing sewers and watermains, and enhancing the streetscape with new sidewalks, lighting, and trees. In addition, Ridge Road now connects to the Friendship Recreational Trail, part of the Greater Niagara Circle Route and the Trans-Canada Trail System.
"Every aspect of this significant infrastructure project has contributed to the revitalization and growth of this historic community," said Minister Nicholson "From watermains to new sidewalks and lighting, our Government is proud to have invested in a project that helps to support our economy by rejuvenating the bustling downtown and commercial core of Ridgeway."
"This infrastructure investment illustrates the Ontario government's commitment to strengthening communities and creating jobs for people across the province," said MPP Craitor. "The reconstruction of Ridge Road, replacement of sewers and water mains, and revitalization of streetscape will support community growth and also protect the environment for the residents and businesses of the Town of Fort Erie for years to come."
"Ridgeway is a unique and historic part of the Town of Fort Erie, which required updates to both its road and water service. The reconstruction was made possible by provincial and federal infrastructure funding and by Municipal Council's commitment to improve services to the Ridgeway downtown area," said Mayor Douglas G. Martin. "Acknowledgement must be given to the many hard working business owners that worked with the Town and contractors during the reconstruction to ensure the continuation of a vibrant downtown core. Council also approved streetscaping features such as banner poles and street furniture to compliment the road reconstruction. In developing the Village Square, Council ensured that the design would embrace and reflect the identity of Ridgeway and serve as a community focal point with a safe, inviting, accessible and sustainable park that also showcases the unique historical significance of the business district."
The governments of Canada and Ontario each contributed close to $2 million toward the eligible project costs through the Infrastructure Stimulus Fund. The Town of Fort Erie also provided close to $2 million toward the total eligible project cost of over $5.8 million.
Canada's Economic Action Plan 2013 is delivering a New Building Canada Plan to build roads, bridges, subways, commuter rail, and other public infrastructure in cooperation with provinces, territories, and municipalities. Thanks to the Government of Canada's leadership and our strong economic and financial fundamentals, the Canadian economy has recovered from the global recession better than most other industrialized countries. Canada has been a leader among G-7 countries throughout the recovery with more than 1 million net new jobs created since July 2009. The New Building Canada Plan, combined with other federal infrastructure investments, supports Canada's infrastructure advantage, a key enabler of economic growth and job creation.
This project also supports Building Together, the Government of Ontario's long-term plan to build, repair and renew infrastructure across the province. Ontario has invested approximately $85 billion in infrastructure since 2003, which has created and preserved an average of nearly 100,000 jobs each year, making the province's economy more productive and improving the quality of life for the people of Ontario, now and in the future.
For additional information about federal investments in infrastructure and to stay up-to-date with Infrastructure Canada Web feeds, visit Infrastructure Canada.
For more information on how Ontario is revitalizing its infrastructure, visit Ministry of Rural Affairs.