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Timmins will not be receiving any funding from the province as part of the 2017-18 Connecting Link program, a letter from the Ministry of Transportation confirmed.

Mayor Steve Black says he was informed that the province is trying to wipe away the smaller projects first.

“Obviously from our point of view, it’s disappointing,” he said, pointing out that even an increase to the fund wasn’t enough to get Timmins money.

Black told council there’s been discussions with the Minister and Premier Kathleen Wynne to have a one-time enhancement funding due to the lack of funding for four years earlier this decade.

Director of Public Works Luc Duval says there’s likely several options council can explore in response.

“It’d be premature to talk about them tonight,” he adds.

The plan this year was to tackle the rest of the roadway up to Rea Hill that didn’t get complete in 2016, which is around 1.2 kilometres.

Meantime, Councillor Rick Dubeau raised an issue that council didn’t find out until the public and media did when the council package came out.

He says it was a direct letter for council’s information, adding they should find out the information before the public does.

Councillor Joe Campbell says this should be a wake up call for council in terms of identifying spending priorities. He brings up the addition of a field house to the proposed Aquatic Centre options.

Timmins received $3-million from last year’s round of funding, the most of any community in Ontario.

The letter goes on to state the province received 57 applications and welcomes another application from Timmins for the 2018-19 program year.

More funding will be available by then, it will increase by $5-million dollars from this year to $30-million.

Looking at the rest of the north, Hearst will benefit from the program to the tune of $2,659,508 to rehabilitate a section of Highway 11 (Front Street).

Sault Ste. Marie is getting $2,309,750 for the resurfacing of two sections of Second Line (Highway 550 and 17).

17 other municipalities will share in the total $25-million dollars given out.

Filed under: Local News