The Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities (FONOM) is welcoming the announcement today that the provincial government will share resource extraction revenues with Northern Ontario municipalities.
Announced by Greg Rickford, Ontario’s Minister of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry, this new revenue-sharing arrangement will see funding dispersed to municipalities to help offset costs associated with repairing and maintaining local infrastructure impacted by resource operations.
FONOM and many of its member municipalities have lobbied successive governments for this type of funding arrangement. The extraction of resources from Northern Ontario drives a large part of the economic engine for the province and communities throughout the North. There are, however, impacts on municipal infrastructure when resources are moved through a community.
“We are thankful that the Ford Government has listened to our members and provided much-needed financial assistance to them,” said President Whalen.
FONOM is an association of some 110 districts/municipalities/cities/towns in northeastern Ontario mandated to work for the betterment of municipal government in Northern Ontario and to strive for improved legislation respecting local government in the north. It is a membership-based association that draws its members from northeastern Ontario and is governed by an 11-member board.