Premier Ford announced a $200-million recreation and sport fund at the annual Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) conference
Crucial for municipalities. the annual Association of Municipalities of Ontario conference is an opportunity to discuss common concerns, hear about new funding opportunities from the province, and for top officials in both levels of government to network.
In February, a council resolution approved the attendance of “the Mayor, two members of Council and a member of senior staff to attend the 2024 AMO Conference held in Ottawa, Ontario from August 18-21, 2024.”
ElliotLakeToday reached out to City staff this morning and confirmed that attending this year’s conference are, Couns. Norman Mann, Helen Lefebvre, and Luc Morrissette; and staff, Mr. deBortoli and Mr. Antunes.
At the conference, Premier Doug Ford announced a $200-million recreation and sport fund.
More details were in a news release this morning from the Ontario Ministry of Sport:
The Ontario government is now accepting applications for the new Community Sport and Recreation Infrastructure Fund (CSRIF). Announced as part of the 2024 Budget: Building a Better Ontario, the province is investing $200 million through the fund to help communities revitalize existing community sport and recreation infrastructure and build new facilities.
Today’s announcement is just one example of how we are working shoulder-to-shoulder with our municipal partners to ensure they have the infrastructure and support their growing communities need,” said Premier Doug Ford. “By working together, we can build growing, healthy and complete communities across Ontario and ensure people have access to the services and recreational opportunities they need to thrive.”
Starting today, applications are open to municipalities, Indigenous communities, non-profit organizations and (for new builds only) for-profit organizations, through two streams:
Stream 1: Repairing and upgrading existing sports and recreation facilities into more accessible, state-of the art facilities that better meet the community’s needs. Eligible projects will receive between $150,000 and $1 million and must be completed within twenty-four months. The deadline to submit applications is October 29, 2024.
Stream 2: Building new and transformative sports and recreation facilities, including replacing existing facilities that have reached the end of their lifespan. Eligible projects will receive up to $10 million and must be completed no later than March 31, 2027. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until funding has been fully allocated.
More information about eligibility is available in the application guidelines.