Parry Sound councillors have questions about Muskoka’s potential inclusion in the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund.
At an announcement in Parry Sound on Oct. 3, Minister of Northern Development Greg Rickford, announced that the province is taking steps to allow Muskoka communities to access the fund without an official Northern Ontario designation.
Councillor Paul Borneman is hoping these changes include an increase in the amount of funding that’s available.
“If the province is going to look seriously at (including Muskoka), they also need to look really hard at the level of funding that’s available through NOHFC. It hasn’t changed in a number of years,” said Borneman. “If you are going to grow the number of applications that you are going to receive and fund, I think you need to grow the pot that is available to fund those applications.”
According to Mayor Jamie McGarvey, the last increase to the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund was made back in 2013.
McGarvey said he questioned Rickford after the announcement about the amount of funding that will be made available and is waiting to hear back.
On Tuesday night, council unanimously agreed to send a letter to Minister Rickford and all Northern Ontario MPP’s voicing their questions and concerns.
