RR sewer funding flushed again LoW gets COMRIF money for new bridge

Ken Johnston

Rainy River’s hopes for federal and provincial help to fix the town’s ailing sewer system has once again been flushed down the drain.
For the second year in a row, the town’s application for Canada-Ontario Rural Infrastructure Funds (COMRIF) has been rejected. That means the community’s hopes and aspirations for future growth are again put on hold as the Ontario Ministry of Environment has an order on the town prohibiting any additions to the existing sewer system.
A $2.4 million project would involve expansion of the existing sewer lagoon to three ponds from two as well as 1.4 k.m. of new lines and upgrades to lift stations. The COMRIF program sees the provincial and federal governments as well as the community each contribute 1/3 of the project’s costs.
Rainy River Mayor Glen Armstrong was furious Monday when he heard that the town had been rejected again this year. Last year he and council had figured RR as a shoe-in for the program which is a five year $900 million initiative that boasts it provides funding for upgrades to provide “clean, safe drinking water, better sewer systems, improved waste management processes, safer local roads and bridges as well as other health and safety priorities.”
However, when the town of Rainy River was rejected last year Rainy River gained strong support from the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association (NOMA) who unanimously passed a resolution to have Rainy River reconsidered in round one of COMRIF.
Instead Rainy was told to reapply in the second intake of applications. Of the 208 Ontario projects approved last year and this year, Rainy River is again not a member of that group.
However, Lake of the Woods Township did receive some good news. They will receive $50,000 from the province and the same amount from the feds to replace a major bridge there. That was the only project approved in the district, much to the dismay of the RR town council.