County secures $1.7M grant for Delhi Main Street project

Mike Columbus, Norfolk County Ward 3 Councillor

Luke Edwards

Advocate Correspondent

Upgrades to a section of Main Street and Crosier Street in Delhi will be going ahead with the help of some provincial dollars.

Norfolk staff informed councillors at the Feb. 25 council meeting that the municipality was successful in its application for funding through the Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program, and will be receiving nearly $1.7 million to fund the Delhi project, which will see improvements along Main Street and Crosier Street that brings both up to urban standards.

The provincial fund is meant to support projects that will help bring development to municipalities. Norfolk previously received $16 million through the program’s Housing-Enabling Water Fund stream.

Staff said they chose this particular project for several reasons, mainly surrounding its project readiness and its ability to support approved development in Delhi.

“We thought this probably had the best chance at securing funding because it was supported by our ISMP (integrated sustainable master plan) and our active transportation strategy as well as bordering approximately 400 approved units of draft plans of subdivision,” said senior financial analyst Jared Carter.

Coun. Michael Columbus agreed.

“It will certainly improve the development in the southwest corner of Delhi,” he said.

To allow the funding to go through, staff sought council’s support to add the project to the approved capital budget. All told the project’s price tag is pegged at just over $3.2 million. The remaining cost will be funded through development charges, though with the current state of the Roads and Related Development Charge Reserve Fund, some of the project may have to be paid for through debt. Regardless, that wouldn’t affect the net levy requirements, the report said, since the debt payments would be paid for by development charges.

Carter said the plan is to get the construction tender out early next year.