FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 5, 2004

McGuinty Liberals Target Rural Ontario

Laurie Scott today indicated her disappointment at the decision of the McGuinty government to eliminate, without warning, the Municipal Outlet Drainage Program.

“Eliminating the funding to municipalities for outlet drains is a very short-sighted action”, said Laurie Scott. “If farmers do not have municipal drains to access, it will not matter how many loans for tile bed improvements they make”.

The action will be a significant change to the Municipal Drainage Act, legislation that has been in place since the mid 1800’s. Under the Municipal Drainage Act, municipalities have been able to use the program funding to construct new or improved municipal drains.

Although the Minister has announced increases in the amount of tile loan funding available to farmers, the farmers need to have municipal drains in place to act as an outlet for the water discharged from their properties.

Municipalities were informed by letter that the program was being discontinued. Already the Ontario Federation of Agriculture has made its opposition to the plan known. “The Liberal Budget cut the Ministry of Agriculture funding by $20 million dollars, and this looks like it is the first place they have decided to cut”, said Laurie. “Why is it that every time the government chooses to eliminate a program, it seems to affect rural communities the most? Dalton McGuinty ran on a platform that included increased consultation. There was no consultation here.”

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