Paradise hopes for better luck in new round of capital works funding

By Mark Squibb/November 9, 2022

The Town of Paradise is resubmitting last year’s priority list for federal and provincial capital works funding in 2023 after none of its requests were granted this year.

“On September 28, a call for applications was received outlining a new phased approach to applying for funding,” explained Infrastructure and Engineering Committee chairperson Deborah Quilty. “The first application intake phase had an accelerated deadline of October 28, 2022. The Town only received the outcome of its previous year’s application after the calls for new applications were received. None of those council priorities were successful in receiving funding.”

The recommendation to council from Quilty’s committee was to resubmit the same projects in the same priority order.

Those projects include, in order of priority: Kenmount Road Upgrade Phase One at $3.5 million; Windmill Road water and sewer at $875,000; Bayview Heights water and sewer at $609,000; Carberry Place water and sewer at $1.4 million; Drover’s Road water and sewer at $1.3 million; Dianne Whalen Drive bypass and roundabout at $3.2 million; and the Horse Cove Beach Project at $1.4 million.

“It should be noted that the provincial government has stated this will be the last application round for the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program,” said Quilty.

The projects are cost shared with the provincial and federal governments which cover a combined 66 percent of the costs, leaving municipalities to pay the remaining 33 percent.

All told, Paradise’s funding request amounts to $12.1 million. Should all the projects be approved, the Town will be on the hook for $3.3 million.

The latest cost estimates were increased to reflect inflation.

Quilty explained the water and sewer list was originally submitted as a single project, but the new guidelines do not allow for the bundling of streets, so each street had to be listed as a separate project in this year’s application.

Due to the looming deadline for applications, council held an e-poll on October 26 on the priority list, which was approved 6-1 with councillor Glen Carew tendering the lone nay vote.

At Tuesday’s public meeting, Carew doubled down on his disagreement with the priority list.

“For context for residents, this time last year, our council had voted to alter the already established infrastructure priority list and bump down water and sewer projects in favour of a partial upgrade to Kenmount Road Extension, placing that project at the top of the list as the number one priority,” said Carew. “Your Worship, I voted against that motion last year and I refenced, in that discussion, that I did not want to be responsible for any further delay on established water and sewer work in the town. I was the only councillor to vote against that motion, and this vote is to ratify the results of an e-mail poll conducted last week to keep the same funding priority for 2023, where again, I was the only councillor to vote ‘No’ on that priority funding sequence, and for the same reason.”

Councillor Larry Vaters reminded folks that though municipalities submit projects in order of priority, the decision to approve funds and for which projects ultimately rests with the provincial government, regardless of a municipality’s priority list.

“Suffice to say, the Kenmount Road Extension as it currently sits is in desperate need of upgrades,” said Vaters. “I think we would all certainly agree to that. I think it’s also important to note that in the recent budget engagement process, road maintenance was highlighted by respondents as their top priority. We know that a lot of people use this route regularly, so it would be prudent to have this road upgraded sooner rather than later. That said, of course, I also hope we can continue with the water and sewer on those streets remaining on the priority list as quickly as possible.”