MPP addresses Cramahe Council

Northumberland-Quinte West MPP, Lou Rinaldi's admission to Cramahe Council on February 2 was not a surprise – last year was a tough year full of economic challenges. Ontario was particularly hard-hit with its extensive industrial base.

The MPP is encouraged about future prospects and sees potential opportunities for growth in this area. He says he has talked to more potential investors in the past year than he has in all the other five years he has been in office combined.

The provincial budget, expected in March, will maintain support for education and health at current levels. Other ministries will see their budgets managed.

Mr. Rinaldi handed out a summary of the grants promised and received by the township and Northumberland County last year.

Cramahe Township got $4.4 million in funding for a new school last year and will have all-day every-day kindergarten at all its schools in the fall. It will also receive over $2 million pledged by the province for the waste water expansion now in the planning stages.

Other grants included half a million dollars for roads and bridges, $158 thousand spent on the Castleton Town Hall, and $274,700 in Trillium grants.

At the county level the province provided $55 million to ensure there is high-speed broadband across the county. Another $2.7 went into county court facilities.

Councillor Tim Gilligan asked the MPP about money being invested by the province in companies from outside Canada which are developing wind generation.

Mr. Rinaldi spoke to the comment about the money being spent on a wind generation project built by Samsung. He explained that the money was being spent to build four plants in the province. The total government input will be $400 million over 25 years, or about $1.60 per Ontario ratepayer. Samsung is putting $7 billion into the project.

Funds from the same provincial source are being spent at Wheetabix and other companies.

Councillor Ed Van Egmond asked the MPP to be mindful of the plight of farmers whose input costs are extremely high and product prices are so low.

Mr. Rinaldi admitted beef and pork prices are at their lowest since the BSE scare. His government is working with agricultural federation representatives. He noted that Ontario's farm industry is very diverse, unlike that in other jurisdictions. The diversity makes finding solutions more difficult.

The MPP admitted that we will be in trouble when we have to depend on foreign sources for our food.

Mr. Van Egmond replied that we are doing that now in the pork industry.

Mayor Marc Coombs thanked the MPP for his co-operation and contributions regarding the new school being built in Cramahe and infrastructure projects.