Funding will help improve service delivery while saving taxpayers’ dollars
Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Steve Clark joined MPP Norman Miller, Bracebridge Mayor Graydon Smith and Gravenhurst Mayor Paul Kelly to speak about the Ontario Government’s funding for local Municipal Modernization projects.
Ontario announced last month that Parry Sound-Muskoka municipalities would be receiving up to $1,398,455 to help improve the delivery of critical programs and services. Municipalities will use the funding to find efficiencies and implement a wide range of initiatives to digitize, streamline and/or integrate programs and services with neighbouring communities. The funding will help municipalities administer the cost saving measures in time for the 2022 municipal budget cycle.
The local funding through the Municipal Modernization Program will support the following projects:
– Municipality of Magnetawan File Digitalization
– Township of McMurrich/Monteith Service Delivery Review
– Township of Muskoka Lakes Information Technology Master Plan
– District Municipality of Muskoka Human Services Programs Review
– Town of Parry Sound Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Study
– Village of South River River Financial Software and Phone System Modernization
– Municipality of Whitestone Digital Modernization Initiatives for Cyber Security, E-Building Permit Software, and Communications System Upgrades
– Town of Bracebridge Electronic Building and Planning Applications Review
– Township of Georgian Bay Modernization and Digital Systems Transformation
– Town of Gravenhurst Building Permit Applications E-solutions Modernization
– Township of Ryerson Digital Modernization Study
– Township of Lake of Bays and Town of Huntsville Joint Fire Protection Services Review
– Village of Sundridge, Township of Joly and Strong Township Joint Service Delivery Review
“All of these projects will ensure that our residents will benefit from innovations and streamlined solutions and that services will be delivered in ways that will save taxpayers’ dollars,” said Parry Sound-Muskoka MPP Norman Miller. “Some of the projects I find most exciting are the electronic building permit applications like those proposed by Bracebridge and Gravenhurst.”
Through this, the second round of Ontario’s Municipal Modernization Program, Ontario is providing up to $24 million to support 254 projects that will modernize services in small and rural municipalities across the province.
“These funds mark another milestone in our government’s commitment to supporting municipalities as they look for ways to improve service delivery in our communities,” said Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Steve Clark. “To put it simply, identifying and implementing modern solutions means money is diverted away from wasteful service delivery and stays in the pockets of local taxpayers.”
In 2019 Ontario kicked off the Municipal Modernization Program with funding to 405 small and rural municipalities in Ontario. That included more than $12 million for the 26 municipalities in Parry Sound-Muskoka. These projects build upon the work done with that funding.
Ontario has committed up to $125 million over four years to the Municipal Modernization Program to help small and rural municipalities modernize services. Under Intake 1, the Province invested $11.8 million in 180 projects and identified more than $100 million in savings and efficiencies.
