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County of Prince Edward applies for provincial funding to support County Road 49 rehabilitation

October 23, 2024

The County of Prince Edward has applied for $20 million from the Housing-Enabling Core Services Fund to support the rehabilitation of County Road 49.

The rehabilitation project will enable more than 2,000 housing units on the east side of Picton over the next 10 to 15 years.

“Safe and reliable roadways are critical for unlocking a range of housing in Prince Edward County,” says CAO Marcia Wallace. “A rehabilitated County Road 49 will allow our community to grow, ensuring future residents can use this major thoroughfare to get to work, travel to appointments, and visit friends and family.”

The total cost to rehabilitate County Road 49, including the urban portion also known as phase 3 reconstruction of Picton Main Street, is $52.3 million. This total includes a 25 per cent contingency ($10.4 million), which the province requires when applying to the Housing-Enabling Core Services Fund.

If the municipality receives provincial funding, the financial breakdown would be as follows:

  • Provincial portion (38.2%): $20 million from the Housing-Enabling Core Services Fund (38.2%)
  • Municipal portion (61.8%):

— $7.8 million, which was approved in the 2024 budget, for reconstructing the road surface of the urban portion of County Road 49 (phase 3 Picton Main Street reconstruction)

— $24.5 million, which the municipality would look to fund through federal government sources and/or private sector partners

The Housing-Enabling Core Servicing Stream is a $400 million provincial fund available to municipalities to fund the construction, maintenance or repair of road and bridge infrastructure. Staff identified County Road 49 as a suitable project to submit for funding consideration because it meets several of the eligibility requirements. The project is a rehabilitation, construction has not started, and it would enable new housing development.

 

Opened in 1966, County Road 49 spans 18.4 kilometres, of which 17.3 kilometres is concrete pavement. The road connects Picton, the municipality’s largest settlement area, with the Bay of Quinte Skyway Bridge, one of the largest entry-points into the municipality from Highway 401. The Province of Ontario downloaded the roadway to the County in 1998. County Road 49 has reached the end of its natural lifespan. It consistently ranks as one of the worst roads in Ontario by CAA.

 

While the municipality awaits word on its application for provincial funding, expected in late 2024 or early 2025, Mayor Steve Ferguson and the County Road 49 Working Group will continue to advocate at the federal government level for additional funding to bridge the gap.

 

Earlier this year, the municipality secured $18.3 million through the Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund (HEWSF). That provincial funding will support a regional water plant and a new raw water intake in Wellington. Learn more.

 

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