WINDSOR, ONT. -- Windsor and Essex County municipalities are getting $27 million in COVID-19 relief funding from Canada’s Safe Restart Agreement.
Windsor will receive $18.4 million and the County of Essex is getting $4,469,100. Each municipality is also receiving funding.
Breakdown of $27,471,508 in funding for Windsor-Essex County municipalities:
- Town of Amherstburg – $568,400
- Town of Essex – $543,800
- County of Essex – $4,469,100
- Town of Kingsville – $542,800
- Town of Lakeshore – $888,300
- Town of Lasalle – $734,132
- Municipality of Leamington – $713,556
- Township of Pelee – $51,000
- Town of Tecumseh – $587,994
- City of Windsor – $18,372,426
Federal government officials say the money is to ensure communities stay safe and healthy, and receive the support they need as they gradually restart the economy and recover from the impacts of COVID-19.
“This funding demonstrates our government’s commitment to supporting our municipalities and the residents of Windsor-Tecumseh who depend on safe, reliable and sustainable public services be they public transit, community centres, public works or the day-to-day operations of City Hall,” says Irek Kusmierczyk, MP for Windsor-Tecumseh.
Last month, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a federal investment of more than $19 billion to help provinces and territories safely restart their economies and make the country more resilient to possible future waves of the virus.
Officials say this investment, through the Safe Restart Agreement, will help address the key priorities, agreed upon by Canada’s First Ministers, for the safe restart of Canada’s economy over the next six to eight months.
The agreement is expected to help get funding quickly to municipalities so they can deliver essential services that Canadians rely on every day.
Kusmierczyk says the money is to assist with COVID-19 operating costs for the next six to eight months.
This funding will be used for the implementation of safety measures to minimize the spread of COVID-19, and managing public spaces and critical services.
“Our government is also providing more support for transit to ensure that active transportation options remain reliable and sustainable for community members,”says Kusmierczyk. “Investments in municipalities and in transit will be shared evenly between the federal and provincial governments.”
The Safe Restart Agreement also includes actions to help Canadian workers, such as ensuring the availability of safe child care to help parents returning to work, and providing income support for people who do not have paid sick leave so all Canadians can stay healthy.
It will support measures to increase testing and contact tracing of the virus to protect Canadians from a future outbreak, and support the capacity of our health care systems, including services for people facing mental health challenges.
The Restart Agreement will also assist with the procurement of personal protective equipment to help our essential workers, and in protecting the most vulnerable, like seniors.
