Regional mayor wants guarantees from province on Moving Ontario Forward dollars

THUNDER BAY -- Listening is great but the province needs to implement what it hears with a new $11.5 billion plan, says one regional mayor.

Marathon mayor Rick Dumas was one of about 40 people at the province's first consultation meeting in Thunder Bay on its 10-year Moving Ontario Forward plan.

It plans to spend around $15 billion, $3.5 billion already spoken for, on infrastructure outside of the Toronto and Hamilton areas but is looking for help from municipalities on how and what to fund. The clock already started ticking since the plan was announced last year.

Dumas said he likes what he sees so far but municipalities need some guarantees that the rest of the money will be there.

"I think those programs are good. I think they have to enhance those types of programs so we know we have sustainable funding that's the key for municipalities," he said.

The North has had its share of success accessing provincial funding in the past but places like Marathon have also failed to qualify for projects, sometimes judged through merit other times based on per capita funding.

"I think we all need some guarantees at the end of the day," Dumas said.

That guarantee goes for making sure the government isn't just listening with its consultation.

"They listen but they don't implement. Not always," Dumas said.

Government officials were asked about First Nations, social infrastructure and funding formulas among other things at the Victoria Inn.

The answer for most is that it's not clear yet, which is why consultations are underway.

The city of Thunder Bay has a preliminary list of projects it would like to see funded.

"Like our roads infrastructure, our sewer, our water management infrastructure. We're looking at our capital projects such as the renovation of the police station," intergovernmental affairs committee chair Coun. Joe Virdiramo said.

The proposed event centre is also there. Virdiramo said the list isn't prioritized but the public made it clear through the city's recent satisfaction survey that major infrastructure is important.

"I would say that we could put all of the items at the top of the list," he said.