Major Funding Announcement for Brant, Oxford and Six Nations this Morning

Thursday, 6 August 2020 12:42

Over $9.7 million dollars will be invested in five projects in Brant, Oxford and Six Nations. In Oxford the money will be used to reconstruct the 31st Line in Zorra and Bridge 24 in Blandford-Blenheim.

OXFORD COUNTY - A major infrastructure funding announcement this morning of over $9.7 million dollars for 5 projects in Brant County, Six Nations of the Grand River and Oxford County.

The announcement was made during a virtual zoom meeting this morning by the Honourable Bardish Chagger, Member of Parliament for Waterloo and Minister of Diversity and Inclusion and Youth, Will Bouma, Parliamentary Assistant to the Premier and Member of Provincial Parliament for Brantford-Brant, His Worship David Bailey, Mayor of Brant County and Oxford County MPP and Minister of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs Ernie Hardeman.

Local MPP Ernie Hardeman says for Oxford County 1.6 million will go towards two projects in Zorra Township and Blandford Blenheim.

"The two projects in Oxford County include the reconstruction of 31st Line in Zorra Township. It is a 6 and 1/2 km stretch of the road that will be rebuilt. In Blandford-Blenheim, it's a bridge across the Nith River and the Province will contribute $1.6 million to those two projects.

CAO for Zorra Township Don McLeoud says construction will start right away on the 31st Line.

"The road will be completely reconstructed, it is a main artery, a north, south road that runs about 6 kilometres. It will allow the agriculture community to be able to move larger pieces of equipment and help out our farmers, which is greatly needed in our communities. Work will be starting shortly on that road and it will be about 2-3 months of construction."

The reconstruction of Bridge 24 in Blandford-Blenheim on Township Road 12 will not start until 2023. The bridge is a single lane weight restricted steel structure that will be replaced with a new 2 lane concrete structure to improve community safety and the transportation of goods and services. The Township will be be starting engineering and the EA in 2022 with construction starting in 2023.

The other projects receiving funding include the reconstruction of King Edward Street in Brant County and the construction of a roundabout at the intersection of Highway 54 and Chiefswood Road in Six Nations.

This funding is coming from all three levels of Government, Federal, Provincial and Municipal.

You can watch the fundraising announcement online here.