*Please see below a news release issued by the City of Burlington.
Burlington, Ont. — July 16, 2021 — The City of Burlington will receive Provincial and Federal funding from the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP) – COVID Resilience Stream that will help fund four projects within Burlington:
- Elgin Street Promenade, Stage 4;
- Design and Construction of Palmer Trail;
- City Hall Customer Service Window Renovation; and
- Roads, Parks and Forestry Operations Centre Renovation.
In total, the City will receive $852,200 of funding, $681,760 from the Federal Government and $170,440 from the Provincial Government.
“The Government of Canada is committed to ensuring that our communities have what they need to sustainably recover from the pandemic. This includes making sure that outdoor public spaces, municipal services, and facilities are upgraded to ensure a safe, accessible, and successful recovery from COVID-19.” — the Hon. Karina Gould, Minister of International Development & Burlington MP
“The pandemic has changed people’s activities and how they expect services to be delivered. That’s why funding projects like pedestrian trails to encourage physical activity, and renovating customer service areas to incorporate physical distancing are important. These investments in our community will help in our safe return to a post COVID-19 new normal.” — the Hon. Jane McKenna, Associate Minister of Children and Women’s Issues & Burlington MPP
“It is great that these community projects were eligible and selected for funding. These four projects are designed to improve the experience of our residents and visitors at City Hall and across Burlington. They all serve to strengthen our city’s resilience in a post-pandemic world. I want to thank our federal and provincial representatives for their continued advocacy to ensure our projects were considered and successful in securing funds from this dedicated funding stream.” — Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward
About ICIP
In August 2020, the Federal Government announced adjustments to the ICIP program to help provinces and territories and ultimately municipalities to deal with the financial pressures brought on by COVID-19. This new stream of funding is designed to deliver more infrastructure projects during the pandemic by increasing the types of eligible projects and accelerating approvals.
Funded Projects
- Elgin Street Promenade, Stage 4 – A 4 metre-wide fully accessible pedestrian and cycling trail located in the downtown core. Approximately 75 per cent of this trail is complete. This is the final phase of this four-part construction project and represents a vital link to connecting the downtown to an existing 8km trail that links to the broader community.
- Palmer Trail – A 3 m-wide fully accessible pedestrian and cycling trail located the heart of the City. Phase 1 was constructed in 2019. Approximately 50 per cent of this trail is complete. This proposed work is to complete the final phase, providing a key north-south link connecting neighborhoods to the larger trail system. The proposed width of these new trails will easily accommodate physical distancing between people passing each other and also allows for people to walk side by side.
- City Hall Customer Service Window Renovation – The existing City Hall service counter requires a renovation to facilitate physical distancing and customer service requirements. Funding will be used towards the reconfiguration of the existing counter location to allow for customer privacy and an adequate queuing area away from the common traffic flow area.
- Roads, Parks and Forestry (RPF) Operations Centre Renovation – A reconfiguration of the existing floor plan at the operations centre is necessary to accommodate RPF service requirements. The renovation will allow for supervisors and staff to work and collaborate efficiently and will also provide for additional physical distancing for staff and contractors through controlled queuing areas.
For more information about ICIP, visit infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/icp-pic-INFC-eng
Links and Resources:
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PLEASE NOTE: To stay updated on what the City of Burlington is doing regarding COVID-19, please visit the dedicated pages burlington.ca/coronavirus (and subscribe) and bit.ly/mayormeedwardCOVID19updates, and our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page — bit.ly/COVID19BurlingtonFAQ that are updated as new information becomes available.
A consolidated page for information and updates on the work of the provincial Ministers’ COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Task Force is available at bit.ly/COVIDVaccineUpdates.
Halton Region has also created a dedicated COVID-19 Vaccine webpage at halton.ca/covidvaccines for up to date information on the status of our COVID19 vaccination program.
A Burlington COVID-19 Task Force has been created to help support our community through this unprecedented emergency — updates will be provided at burlington.ca/COVID19taskforce.
To report an incident of non-compliance with provincial emergency orders, please contact the Halton Regional Police Service COVID-19 Hotline: 905-825-4722.
We’ve also created a dedicated page to feature the local organizations and businesses that have inspired us during the COVID-19 pandemic by taking action to support our community in new and creative ways — head to bit.ly/covidwallofinspiration.
HELPFUL RESOURCES & RELATED LINKS:
- Community questions and requests regarding City of Burlington services can be directed to Service Burlington by phone at 905-335-7777, by email at city@burlington.ca or online.
- Halton Region has created a Reopening Schools resource webpage for parents, students and teachers at halton.ca/covid19.
- For further COVID-19 information, including where to get tested, please visit Halton Region Public Health halton.ca/coronavirus
- Residents can stay informed at burlington.ca/coronavirus as well as on our social media channels: @cityburlington on Twitter and facebook.com/cityburlington
- Questions about the cancellation of Recreation programs can be directed to rentals@burlington.ca or liveandplay@burlington.ca or 905-335-7738
- City of Burlington: www.burlington.ca/coronavirus
- Resources for Residents & Non-Profit Organizations: www.burlington.ca/covid19resources.
- Halton Region: www.halton.ca/coronavirus
- Government of Ontario: www.ontario.ca/coronavirus
- Provincial Emergency Orders: https://www.ontario.ca/laws/regulation/200052
- Government of Canada: www.canada.ca/coronavirus
- World Health Organization: www.who.int
- Joseph Brant Hospital: josephbranthospital.ca/covid-19
- Team Burlington Business Supports: burlingtonchamber.com/team-burl-supporting-burl-business-during-covid-19/
- Burlington Food Bank: call 905-637-CARE (2273), or visit burlingtonfoodbank.ca
- Food for Life: call 905-635-1106 and press 7, or visit foodforlife.ca
- Canadian Mental Health Association – Halton Branch: call 289-291-5396, or visit halton.cmha.ca
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*Posted by John Bkila, Mayor’s Media and Digital Communications Specialist