Rae announces more funding for rural municipalities

WELLINGTON COUNTY – The Ontario government is increasing the Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund (OMPF) by $100 million over two years, bringing the total funding envelope to $600 million by 2026.

The OMPF is the province’s main general assistance grant to municipalities.

Perth-Wellington MPP Matthew Rae announced the increased funding on Nov. 4.

“Our government is stepping up to provide additional support to our municipal partners, an additional $785,400 for Perth-Wellington,”  Rae said.

Minto will receive $47,900 in additional funding, bringing the town’s total OMPF funding in 2025 to $1,521,500.

In Mapleton, OMPF funding will increase by $133,200 in 2025, bringing the total to $1,048,000.

Wellington North’s funding will increase by $131,700 in 2025, bringing the township’s total OMPF funding for the year to $1,483,600.

“Our rural municipalities will benefit from this additional funding, allowing us to continue building stronger and safer communities together.”

For 2025, the OMPF will include an immediate increase of $50 million to provide $550 million in unconditional funding to 390 municipalities.

The $50 million enhancement will be targeted to small, northern and rural municipalities and those with a limited property tax base.

This funding will assist municipalities in providing critical municipal services to people across the province.

“Ontario has been steadily increasing support to municipalities,” states a press release about the announcement.

From 2019 to 2023, key provincial support to municipalities grew by over 45 per cent.

In 2023, the government provided almost $10 billion to Ontario municipalities through key transfers.

This includes increasing the Homelessness Prevention Program to $654 million annually, as well as enhanced support for northern and rural communities, such as the nearly $2-billion Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund (OCIF).

The province is working with municipalities to build more homes for people and families.

Ontario has invested nearly $2 billion in critical housing- and community-enabling infrastructure through the Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund and Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program, complementing support already being provided through the Building Faster Fund.